Unusual October 2019
by AgresteBug
Summary: A series of one-shots following the prompts of Miraculous Unusual October 2019! Some are funny, some are reveals, and some are straight forward fluff for fluffs sake! Because well, I just can't help my obsession okay? Enjoy!
1. Outlandish Outfits

**Hey everyone! I am trying my hand at Miraculous Unusual October 2019! One-shots only! This may truly test my limits, you guys know how I NEED closure and one shots do NOT have them. LOL But here we go, I hope you guys enjoy the ride with me!**

**Just so I'm clear, these are going to be unrelated one-shots just so I don't set myself up for one-shot failure. '^-^**

**Also I do not own the characters, just the plot! ^-^**

**Day 1 – Outlandish Outfits**

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Tikki eyed her holder warily, "Marinette, are you sure about this?"

Marinette continued to tease her ponytail, giving it a wild look, "They all hate me anyways and think I'm the one with the problem. I think for today, I'm tired of being the good girl."

"But you ARE a good girl. You're Ladybug!" Tikki reminded her a little too loudly.

Marinette looked at her edgy make-up in the mirror, loving the hints of green she had added at the last second to her eyes.

"I know, and that's not going to change. I just need to do something different Tikki, something for me." She tried explaining as she sat down, carefully pulling on her black leggings that laced on the side with neon green leather. She grabbed her black combat boots and laced them tightly over her feet.

She stood, smoothing the black pleated skirt and adjusting the thin long sleeved black top she was in. She put on the neon green corset that was laced in the front instead of the back, smiling to herself as she checked the mirror. It all fit really well together after all.

Tikki flew up to her with a silver belt that had a stylized black and green cat paw on it, "Here, I think this will finish it." Tikki said gently.

Marinette smiled at her magical companion, fastening the belt loosely at her waist, "It's perfect Tikki."

She switched out her usual pink bag for a silver one with a green strap, watching Tikki disappear inside of it easily. She took one last look at herself, feeling her Ladybug confidence come to the surface.

She headed downstairs, ignoring the shock on her parents' faces as she hurried out of the front door.

She hummed to herself as she crossed the street. Usually she would have been running, but today she made sure she would get to class early.

As she walked into Dupont with her head held high, a soft smile on her face, every set of eyes in the commons turned on her.

A cute boy with dark hair and cobalt blue eyes walked up to her confidently, asking with a charming smirk, "Hey beautiful, you must be new here. I'm Isaac."

She chuckled, "I'm not new, but thanks for the compliment." She winked at him, watching his face flush instantly, "Nice try though."

She walked away feeling giddy. Even as she walked into class, her smile never faded. This outrageous, out of character outfit was exactly what she needed to boost her confidence.

"Ma-Marinette?" A familiar voice said sounding completely dumbfounded.

Her eyes immediately caught his piercing green ones, "Oh, good morning Adrien." She said easily without a stutter in sight.

His eyes were wide in shock as he stared at her, mouth hanging open. She waited for him to respond, but he never did.

It made her giggle. She had managed to stun Adrien Agreste into complete silence. She used her finger to close his mouth gently, "Chat got your tongue handsome?"

Her heart swelled, seeing his face go beet red in seconds as he tried to recover, "Y-you, you look, uh," he trailed off back into silence.

She giggled again, giving him a wink that deepened the color on his face, "Thank you."

She walked up the steps, locking eyes with a shocked Alya for a second before smirking at Lila's furious expression. She took her seat in the back, Nathaniel looking over at her with a slight frown, "Hey, new look?"

"Just, trying something different." She admitted.

He told her softly, "You look, nice."

"Thank you." She said sweetly.

Class passed quickly, the lunch bell sounded much sooner than she expected since class usually dragged. Before anyone could really move, Principle Damocles was walking into the room. His eyes went straight to her, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, stand please."

She stood, asking with a frown, "Is something wrong sir?"

He told her sternly, "You are dressed extremely out of tolerance for what is acceptable here. Your entire outfit includes multiple dress code violations."

Marinette saw the wicked smirk on Lila's face and knew instantly that she was the one who did this.

Luckily, she had already prepared for this situation.

She stepped out from behind her desk and corrected him easily, "Actually sir, that's not true. As Class Representative, I am more then well aware of the school dress code."

She ignored the shock on everyone's faces as she kept going, "While my outfit does fit an edgier style, not a single piece of it is out of dress code."

He said it easily in response, "The corset."

"Is for style. If I was in the corset alone then it would be out of dress code, but I'm not. I am in a long sleeved top that covers everything."

"The torn leggings." He tried.

"Are not torn." She turned slightly so he could see it clearly, "They are cut, tailored, and held together by the green leather on each side. There is no more space in them then there are in shoelaces. 'Torn', however, is not how these can be described."

She grabbed her bag, saying it as he stayed quiet, "I'm not sure who exactly told you I was out of dress code, but I'm not. I am trying a new look, but I know what I can wear to school and what I can't."

Principle Damocles couldn't argue with her, and she asked him kindly, "Am I okay to leave now sir?"

"Yes. Go ahead." He said slightly annoyed.

She left the room, pointedly refusing to make eye contact with anyone. Instead of going home, she headed to the small park across from the school. Tikki poked her head out of her purse, asking as she sat down, "Not going home today?"

"No, I'm not really very hungry." She explained, but pulled out a bag of cookies from her backpack for Tikki. Tikki munched on them happily as she pulled out her sketchbook.

It wasn't long before a voice caught her attention, "Hey beautiful, when did they let you out of heaven?"

Her head snapped up, and she said it easily, "Out of hell, actually, if you believe the rumors."

He smirked, his hazel eyes shining, "Rumors huh? You must have quite the reputation."

She rolled her eyes, "Not in the way you think."

He laughed, sitting uncomfortably close to her. She moved over slightly, but he wasn't deterred. He touched her knee firmly, saying it low, "You can always show me what you mean, if you'd like."

She stood and took a step away from him, "Yeah no, I'm not that girl."

He stood and moved closer to her, an animalistic gleam in his eyes, "Your outfit suggests otherwise."

She backed away from him again, smacking his hand as he reached up to touch her face, "Don't touch me."

He said it smirking, "You don't have to play hard to get. I want you, so let's skip the pretenses."

"Not interested." She said firmly as she stood her ground. She could see the anger in his eyes, and knew she needed to get away from him.

The second she moved he grabbed her wrist roughly, pulling her to a hard stop, "Don't be like that princess."

His grip tightened uncomfortably as she tried to pull away, "Ow, that hurts."

A dark, menacing shadow dropped behind the guy. His pupils were near slits, his fierce green eyes boring into the back of the guy who had her wrist.

"I'm not going to ask. Let. Go." Chat said threateningly.

The guy visibly jumped, turning around as he released her immediately, "Ch-Chat Noir. What are you doing here?"

"Look for MY princess." Chat growled out menacingly, "You have five seconds to be as far away from her as humanly possible."

The guy seemed to get a little courage back, "Are you threatening me? You are supposed to be a hero."

Chat leaned in, saying it with a murderous, predatory smirk, "One."

The guy took off, nearly tripping over himself. Chat's eyes never moved from the guys figure until he disappeared out of the park.

"Let's see if he ever tries something like that again." Chat huffed still angry, "Putting his hands on my princess."

Marinette felt herself shaking slightly, despite her relief that Chat showed up when he did. She put her hand on his arm, trying to calm him down, "I'm okay kitty."

Chat immediately looked at her, grabbing her hand and holding it tightly to his chest, "I'm sorry about that."

"No, no don't be. I'm glad you came when you did. Thank you." She told him softly.

He smiled brightly, barely glancing at her outfit as he said it, "A princess who is beautiful in anything she wears, always needs a knight in leather to protect her."

She laughed to herself, and he asked curious, "Not that it looks bad, because it doesn't, but why?"

She sighed heavily, looking down at her outfit, "I needed a change. I, I'm so sick of it Chat. I'm sick of all of my friends believing Lila over me. I'm sick of everyone treating me like I'm the one with the problem. Even you and Ladybug know that Lila is a liar, but every time I try to stand up to her, I just make it worse."

She said it a little frustrated, pacing back and forth in front of him, "Even the boy I like knows that she is a liar, and I was trying to take the high road the way he told me, but she nearly got me expelled Chat."

She threw her hands up as she continued to pace, "She accused me of being a thief, and of pushing her down a flight of stairs. How am I supposed to take the high road when I feel like I've been strung up helpless from the Eiffel Tower?"

He put a hand to the back of his neck, a sign of his increasing nerves, "Her lies will come back to her eventually. Lila is the type of person who thrives on being the center of attention, no matter what she has to do. I wish I could offer you better advice."

He stopped mid-sigh and looked at her with wide eyes, "Wait, you said the boy you liked told you to take the high road?"

She felt herself blush but she crossed her arms, looking away from him, "M-maybe."

Chat kept a smirk plastered to his face, trying not to panic as he asked, "So, you did this for him, taking all of Lila's lies without complaint simply because he asked you to?"

She was still blushing as she said it in an obvious tone, "I would do anything for him, even suffer in silence."

Chat took a hesitant step towards her, "What do you mean?"

Marinette hesitated before telling him sternly, "You promise you won't say anything to anyone?"

He held up two clawed fingers, "Chat's honor."

Marinette looked down, "A few months ago, she cornered me in the bathroom alone and threatened me. She told me that if I didn't go along with her lies, she would turn everyone against me," he saw the tears starting to fill her eyes, "she said that she would make Adrien hate me, and see me for the nobody I am. That she wouldn't stop until I was completely alone."

Chat felt a growl building in his chest but held it back, "I won't let that happen."

"There's nothing you can do Chat, and besides, she's already turned my class against me." She wiped her eyes carefully, "It's only a matter of time before Adrien starts to hate me too. Why wouldn't he? I'm nothing special anyways. Maybe Lila's right, maybe I am a nobody, maybe,"

"That is not true!" Chat told her loudly, shaking her by the shoulders and staring into her eyes.

"You are amazing Marinette. You always put others before yourself. You always do what you can to try and help people," he put a hand on her cheek, "You are kind and caring, and good." He smiled seeing the blush on her cheeks, "And Adrien is an idiot for not seeing how much you care about him, and for not seeing how much you are hurting because of something he said."

She immediately came to his defense, "He see's the good in everyone, even people who don't deserve it. That doesn't make him an idiot, it makes him a genuinely good person with a big heart."

Chat's smile softened slightly, "No, he's an idiot. Trust me on this."

She smiled at him, hitting his arm lightly, "Leave Adrien alone Chat, you don't even know him the way I do."

Chat leaned on his baton lazily, tail swishing back and forth, "Some day you'll have to tell me all about him, purrincess. I bet you have loads to say about the pretty boy model."

Marinette almost said something but stopped short.

She quickly replayed their conversation in her head.

She never mentioned Adrien's last name.

Chat must have sensed her unease because he stood tall, asking worried, "What, what did I say?"

She closed the small gap between them, putting her hands on either side of his face as she stared into his eyes.

She wasn't going to give him the chance to lie to her, "What makes you think the Adrien I'm talking about is a model?"

She watched the panic show through his eyes, "I, uh, I mean I just,"

"Assumed that I was talking about Adrien Agreste? What makes you think I know him at all?" She asked curious, holding his eyes.

There was something about Chat's eyes right now, something familiar she couldn't quite place. And the way her heart stuttered, like it knew something she didn't.

Chat remembered instantly, "The, the live show Jagged Stone did at your parents bakery. You had pictures of him on your walls, with you and your friends so I figured you had to know him personally." He frowned slightly, "Is he not the Adrien you are talking about?"

She held his stare with one of her own, slowly letting her hands fall from his face, "No, he is." She said simply, "That was, very astute of you kitty."

"Ladybug's luck must be rubbing off on me." Chat finally broke his gaze and looked away from her, "I should, get going. Are you going to be okay on your own princess?"

"I'll be fine. Thank you for earlier, really, and for listening." She said sincerely, trying to speak through the unspoken tension that had erupted between them.

He caught her eyes for a few seconds before he bowed at the waist, "It was my pleasure purrincess." He partially extended his baton as he started to walk away.

He barely took a few steps before he turned back and walked up to her.

Before she could say anything he leaned down slowly, kissing her cheek before pulling back with a soft smile, "For the record, anything you wear makes you stunning princess, but dressing as who you really are is what makes you beautiful. I like the old Marinette just the way she is."

He backed up with a charming smile and vaulted into the air, her hand slowly going to her enflamed cheek as he disappeared.

Tikki said it in a whisper, "Chat's right you know."

Marinette was staring at the spot where he disappeared, nodding without looking away, "Yeah, yeah he was. Tikki, you know who Chat Noir is right?"

Tikki frowned, "Yes, but you know I can't tell you."

"You don't have to tell me. I know Master Fu is ready to take our Miraculous if we find out each other's identities, but he was the one who said that in time we'd reveal ourselves to each other. I know we have to keep secrets to protect the people we love," she trailed off.

Tikki pressed her slightly, "But?"

Marinette shook her head, turning and grabbing her bag before rushing towards her house, "There is no but Tikki. We have to keep things secret." She smiled to herself as she walked into her room and started to change, "Master Fu said we couldn't reveal ourselves to each other, so I'll never truly be able to confirm anything."

Tikki watched her change back into a much more 'Marinette' outfit with a smile, "So why does it sound like you caught the golden goose?"

Marinette was wiping the makeup off of her face as she told Tikki, "I may never see the truth with my own eyes, but that doesn't mean my heart can't see past the magic."

Tikki asked worried, "You think you know who Chat Noir is?"

"My guess is as good as anyone's Tikki." Marinette said happily, pulling her hair back into their normal pigtails. She wrote a quick note and folded it in half with a smile, "Come on, let's go back school."

She raced back to school, only really having a few minutes to spare before lunch was over.

She walked into the classroom, and thankfully Adrien was already there. She watched as his smile changed and softened. He told her almost instantly, "There's the beautiful girl I know."

She smiled at him. What little hesitation she had left vanished. She knew the truth.

She stopped next to him and kissed his cheek the way he had hers just moments ago. She put the note in his hand and told him softly, "Thank you kitty."

His eyes widened but she walked away before he could respond. As she sat down, she saw him reading the note. It was just a simple drawing of their classroom.

In Adrien's seat, she had drawn a small Chat Noir paw print. In her seat in the back, was a little ladybug.

He instantly looked up at her and she smiled shyly. He smiled, practically beaming a shot of unfiltered sunshine in her direction.

He grabbed his things and stood, Lila stopping him from going past her, "Oh Adrien, do you mind helping me with this problem? I know Physics is your best subject."

He answered in a hard tone, "When you stop lying to everyone and threatening my friends, I'll be more than happy to help you. Until then, unfortunately no, I can't help you."

He walked straight up to Marinette, asking unsure, "Mind if I take a seat?"

Marinette smiled, shaking her head. He sat next to her and instantly grabbed her hand, "I should have known."

She said it softly, "Me too."

"I am an idiot. You know that right?" Adrien asked lightly.

She let out a small laugh, feeling a weight lift off of her shoulders, "You are talking to the girl who could barely walk over a flat surface while being near you."

He said it as he looked into her eyes, Chat's smirk shining through, "I told you you'd fall for me one day, m'lady."

She rolled her eyes and Adrien laughed to himself, "Am I wrong yet again?"

Adrien lifted their entwined hands, kissing hers gently and causing a blush to instantly form.

Lila stood and said it loudly, "I don't know what she is holding over you Adrien, but you don't have to sit anywhere near her. You know how she feels about everyone, hating all of us just because she's jealous of how close we've all gotten."

Marinette opened her mouth to say something but Adrien said it calmly, "She doesn't have any reason to be jealous Lila, and I know she doesn't hate anyone in this room."

She huffed but Adrien smirked at her, "She's frustrated, but that is our doing, mine especially. I was the one who asked her to take the high road. And for the record, she's not holding anything over me. I'm sitting here because I want to be near her. That's what happens when you are in love with someone."

Lila was fuming, "I know you can't be talking about her. You've said it over and over again how you two are just friends. You and I are closer then she is to anyone."

"Really?" Adrien asked her simply, "What's my favorite time of day?"

Lila was silent and Marinette took the chance to answer, "Night."

Adrien asked Lila a new question, "My favorite sweet that I'm not allowed to have?"

Lila said it quickly, "Passion Fruit Macaroons."

Marinette rebutted, "Chocolate croissants. They are too heavy to fit into his 'diet'. The macaroon's he can get away with if he's careful."

Adrien asked a new question, "What's my biggest fear?"

Lila answered slowly, "Being alone."

Adrien squeezed her hand when she stayed silent, and she asked softly, "Are you sure?"

He simply nodded and Marinette shook her head, "No. He's unfortunately used to being alone Lila. His biggest fear, is being trapped. Adrien is claustrophobic."

Adrien told Lila evenly, "You don't know anything about me. Marinette is the one person I don't have secrets from, and I don't want to have secrets from her. I'm done trying to act like I don't know you lie with every breath. Marinette was the only one willing to stand up to you, and I'm not letting her do it alone anymore."

He smiled at her, "What was the phrase again?" He feigned thinking about it before saying it, his eyes locked on Lila's, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is that good people do nothing. Right Alya?"

Alya was staring up at him in shock, but her gaze moved to Lila before going back up to them, "Can you prove it?"

Adrien asked her, "Can Lila?"

Alya looked taken back but went silent.

"I'm done doing nothing, and you won't threaten my girlfriend ever again." Adrien said with a tone of finality to Lila.

Marinette watched as Lila turned away from them and sat down next to Alya again.

Adrien asked her softly, "Was that all right?"

She smiled at him, amazed with how a change of her outfit changed everything, "Purrfect."

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**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Feel free to comment and review, I'd love to hear any feedback!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	2. Strange Sleeping

**Hey everyone! The one-shots continue! This one got away from me so it's a little long. Whoops.**

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! Melty hearts!**

**Also, I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!**

**Day 2 - Strange Sleeping**

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Adrien jumped through his window just as the sun began to peak over the horizon. Just a few hours. A few hours was all he needed and he'd be okay.

His transformation fell and he could barely focus on Plagg wearily heading towards his Camembert stash. It had taken all night to finally trap and capture that akuma. Didn't Hawkmoth have anything better to do then keep them up all night?

He was already drifting off to sleep when he felt Plagg curling up in his hair, no doubt just as tired as he was.

"Adrien, Adrien get up."

His eyes snapped open at the stern voice, a hard burning sensation making him want to close them again.

"Nathalie, it's too early." He grumbled as she finally came into focus.

"You have a sunrise shoot today, or did you forget?" She asked.

He groaned, "That's tomorrow."

"It is tomorrow Adrien. Now please, get up and showered. We are leaving in twenty minutes." Nathalie ordered before walking out of his room.

Plagg groaned as he reappeared next to him, "I hate that lady."

He simply mumbled his agreement under his breath. His body moved mechanically to shower and get dressed. Somewhere between fixing his hair and brushing his teeth, he stopped moving.

The next thing he knows, Nathalie is shaking him by the shoulder, "Adrien, wake up. We need to go or you are going to be late."

She practically pulled the toothbrush out of his mouth and threw it in the sink before handing him a towel to wipe his mouth.

He didn't bother trying to apologize to her. It was Hawkmoth's fault that he was practically a zombie.

The car ride to the sunrise shoot was where things really started to go wrong and get weird. He fell asleep almost instantly once the car took off, curled up into a very Chat-like ball on the seat.

During the photo shoot, he could barely keep his eyes open. Jean-Luc was practically drowning his eyes in solution to try and keep him up, but he was still sleeping with his eyes open.

He fell into the outdoor fountain during one of these chat-naps, not once, not twice, but three times before they changed locations. Not that the second location was any better. The bench he was lying on felt like the grandest King sized bed he'd ever been on. He startled himself awake when his hand fell from his chest where he had been holding the prop.

He sat up and shook his head, getting ready to apologize when there was a loud crash across set. The single rush of adrenaline put him on high alert, waking him more than anything else had.

Her familiar voice had him relaxing almost instantly when he rushed over to where everyone was.

"I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutzilla. I really don't know how I did this I swear."

He saw Marinette tangled up in lighting wire as though she had been wrestling with it. And losing.

He went up to her and started to help her untangle herself, "Hey, nice to see a friendly face."

She squinted her eyes at him, sounding confused, "Adrien?"

He managed a small laugh, "Anyone awake in there?"

She waved him off, usually she could barely get a full sentence out around him. This time, she was all sass, "Not yet. You'll have to come back later."

He said it naturally, "Ouch, you wound me my fair lady."

Marinette snorted, making him smirk, "Yeah I'm sure. Don't be so dramatic kitty."

His heart stopped. Did she just call him kitty?

"Uh, Marinette, why did you,"

She looked at him confused, before her eyes widened and she looked more awake then before, "Oh my god Adrien! I'm so sorry! You sounded so much like Chat Noir just now, I, not that you sound like him, no not even a little. Your voice is so much easier to listen to, not in a weird way but you know, it's a pleasant part of you. Not that your other parts aren't pleasant, I mean not that I've seen your parts, but I, you are gorgeous and you have the most amazing eyes and, I'm going to stop talking now."

He felt a laugh bubbling up and was too tired to keep it down. He didn't know when he moved through his laughing, but he found himself hugging Marinette, "I, I don't mean to laugh. It's sweet what you said. I think you are gorgeous and have the most amazing eyes too."

It took a second for his words to register in his head before he pulled back and apologized, "I'm so sorry that must have sounded like I'm a total creep. I'm sorry Marinette, I'm tired and not really thinking straight."

Marinette shook her red face, "No, no you aren't creepy. I, I'm really tired too so let's forget this entire conversation."

He said it relieved, "Agreed."

He helped her stand once she was free of the cords, and she frantically started looking around. One of the assistant photographer's said it happily, "I caught the box you brought. It's safe don't worry."

Marinette looked relieved, "Thank goodness."

"What did you bring?" He asked stifling a yawn.

"Breakfast." She said easily.

He normally would have jumped at the chance to eat breakfast from the Dupain-Cheng Bakery, but right now he really wanted to go back to sleep.

Nathalie told everyone they had thirty minutes to eat breakfast before we had to get back to the shoot.

He knew he wouldn't be able to go back to his trailer like this. He'd fall asleep for sure and never get up.

Marinette asked him worried, "Hey, are you really okay Adrien?"

He smiled at her concern, "It was a long night. I couldn't really sleep."

She nodded, "Same."

They both moved to sit on the bench where he had been posing a few minutes ago. He let his head fall back and Marinette told him instantly, "You are going to hurt your neck if you sleep like that."

He told her the truth, "I just need five minutes."

Marinette sighed and he felt her adjusting his position slightly until his head was in her lap. He didn't have the energy to try and fight her. She smelled like warm bread and spices, better than any pillow. Her hand started moving through his hair in gentle caresses, and sleep took him instantly.

It didn't take long for Marinette's hand to slip out of Adrien's hair to lie lazily at her side. She felt herself falling, and found a comfortable spot for her head as she hunched over slightly. A gently beating heart lulling her to sleep.

They woke up to the sudden sound of screaming, nearly smacking each other on the head. They realized an akuma was shooting laser beams from his staff in sight of the photo shoot. Adrien instinctually grabbed Marinette's hand and tried to find a place for them to hide.

He threw open his trailer door and pulled Marinette in with him, groaning as he said it annoyed, "First he keeps me up all damn night and now he wants to akumatize someone first thing in the morning! It's Sunday! Doesn't Hawkmoth ever take a day off!"

Marinette seemed to be just as frustrated, "And we were sleeping so good too. Ugh, Hawkmoth is really asking for it today."

They looked at each other and said it at the same time, "I don't have time to explain but don't freak out okay? I trust you."

They stared at each other confused before doing it again, "Wait, what are you talking about?"

They did it again, "Why would I freak out?"

They both went silent and a crash from outside startled them both. They felt the trailer being lifted into the air. Adrien grabbed Marinette and pulled her into his arms, "Sorry about this. Plagg, Claws Out!"

He transformed in seconds and pulled his baton. He grabbed Marinette around the waist and kicked the door open, jumping out with her in his arms. They were barely landing when the trailer came nearly crashing back down on them.

Chat picked her up and moved quickly, getting some distance between them and the akuma as he told her, "Get somewhere safe. I know you probably have questions but I meant it. I trust you Marinette. I'll explain later once this akuma is defeated."

She didn't know what she was thinking. Oh yeah, she was sleep deprived, she wasn't thinking, "You don't have to explain anything. I trust you with my life kitty, I always have, and I always will. Tikki, Spots On!"

Her transformation took hold and Chat stared at her wide-eyed. "We, need to talk."

She nodded, "Oh that was a given, but first," she grabbed him by the bell and pulled him in, kissing him without hesitation. Chat eagerly kissed her back, getting lost in the moment when the akuma suddenly shouted somewhere above them, "Ladybug and Chat Noir, give me your miraculous or all of Paris will suffer the fate of a sleepless existence!"

Chat growled out his annoyance against her lips, "Excuse me for a moment m'lady."

She said it just as annoyed, "I'm right behind you."

Chat vaulted himself onto the rooftops and she watched as he jumped on the akuma from behind, slamming it into the ground in front of her. She walked out of the alley calmly, twirling her yo-yo threatening. Chat was keeping the akuma firmly pinned.

"Where, is, the akuma?" She asked hard.

"I am Ever-Lasting! I will not be defeated, I," she smacked him hard on the top of his head, thoroughly knocking him out. Chat got up and lifted the guy by the front of his robe. A gold circlet was pinned over his heart.

He pulled it off and broke it in half, watching as she purified the akuma and set off the Miraculous Ladybugs. Neither of them said much to the guy who had gotten akumatized in the first place. Apparently he had been overworked and hadn't slept well in days. They sympathized, but were far too tired to dwell on it for long.

They made their way back towards the photo shoot, dropping down into Adrien's trailer when the coast was clear. They dropped their transformations and both fell heavily against his couch.

Marinette leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling him lean his head on hers before he asked sleepily, "Bugaboo, will you be my girlfriend?"

She snuggled into him, "Whatever you want kitty."

"Five minutes. Just five minutes." He said instantly.

"Ladybug!"

"Chat Noir!"

"You guys they aren't moving!"

"Should we call an ambulance?"

"It's okay, we've got them. Carapace, grab Chat Noir."

"Man dude, why are you so heavy?"

Ladybug tried to open her eyes when she felt the wind on her face. She was being carried by something familiarly orange.

"Rena?" She whispered hoarsely.

Rena stopped instantly and said it relieved, "Ladybug, thank goodness. Are you okay?"

She nodded, holding on to Rena Rouge for support, "Yeah, I'm okay, just tired."

Carapace set Chat Noir down slowly. She moved over to him, shaking his chest with as much strength as she could muster as she kneeled next to him, "Chat, Chat wake up."

Chat's brow furrowed and she groaned, knowing how she could wake him up faster. She kissed him slowly, and it only took a few seconds for him to respond.

When he started to pull her closer she pulled back and told him sternly, "I told you staying out all night was going to come back to bite us."

Chat blinked a few times before squinting at her, "Bugaboo?" He said it with a sleepy smile, "I just had the greatest dream about us. You agreed to be my girlfriend."

She rolled her eyes as Carapace asked, "What were you two doing out all night?"

"Trying to pinpoint Hawkmoth's lair. Then an akuma shows up right before dawn. It called itself Ever-Lasting and," she stopped, looking around confused, "Did we stop it?"

Chat frowned, "Uh, we must have, I think. I don't remember."

Rena told them unsure, "There were no reports of an akuma attack, and the sun hasn't been up very long. Are you sure there was one?"

Ladybug nodded, "Yeah, I'm, pretty sure."

Carapace looked between them worried, "A few people said they saw the two of you fighting, like hand to hand combat real fighting against each other. They said you managed to hit each other at the same time and fell from the rooftops to the street."

"That's where we found you both unconscious just now." Rena told them.

Chat said it instantly, "I would never go after m'lady on purpose."

"Or after Chat Noir. Something doesn't feel right." She said, finding herself leaning on Chat's shoulder. He grabbed her hand and rubbed small circles with his thumb absentmindedly as she tried to think back without falling asleep.

"Wait, Chat in your dream, you said I agreed to be your girlfriend?" She asked as she sat up slightly.

"Those are always my best dreams Bugaboo." He said smiling.

"Did you, Chat Noir, ask Ladybug, or was it outside of the mask?" She asked as a faint memory started coming back.

Chat looked at her shocked, "Uh, outside. We sort of, found out who each other was, and after we defeated Ever-Lasting,"

"In the trailer." She said knowingly.

His eyes widened, "How did you know that?"

"Who did you ask to be your girlfriend?" She asked quickly.

"The girl I think is, you, beneath the mask." He admitted.

She said it as a whisper, "You changed first in front of me,"

He started to nod and Rena interrupted them, "Wait, are you saying you guys had the same dream?"

Carapace said it worried, "Is that even possible?"

"Unless," Chat started, shaking his head, "No that's crazy."

"What?" Ladybug asked, "What are you thinking kitty?"

Chat frowned, "We woke up here after defeating Ever-Lasting, so we think, and shared a dream where we also defeated Ever-Lasting. That can't be a coincidence."

"What are you trying to say?" Ladybug asked still not following his train of thought.

"What is the absolute last thing you remember bugaboo?" He asked instead.

Ladybug tried to think back, "I know that we were for sure out all night looking for Hawkmoth's lair. We were sitting on a roof, getting ready to call it a night when you said you wanted five more minutes." Her eyes widened, "In the dream, in the trailer, you, unmasked who I think you are you, said the same thing. Five minutes, just five more minutes."

"We were leaning on each other," Chat added.

"And then woke up here." Ladybug said nodding, finally starting to piece together what Chat was saying.

Ladybug stood quickly and looked straight at Rena Rouge, "What is your kwami's name Rena?"

Rena frowned, "I thought we weren't supposed to talk about that?"

"I need to know, please. If I'm right, and what I think is happening is happening," she tried to calm down, "Rena please. It's important."

Rena whispered it worried, "Trixx."

Chat smiled slightly, "Cool."

Ladybug looked at him, "You didn't know that before right?"

He shook his head, "No."

"Don't forget it." She started to yawn and hit her face a few times, "Have to stay awake."

Carapace looked at Chat suddenly, his eyes drooping as he leaned on his baton, "If you guys were out all night, why don't you try to get some sleep? There is no akuma now so rest while you can."

Rena nodded, "You don't even have to de-transform. We'll keep watch while you close your eyes for a minute."

Chat took up the offer almost instantly as he sat against a chimney, "Sounds like a plan."

Rena and Carapace took off in different directions, but kept them within their line of sight as they circled slightly.

Ladybug started to pace back and forth, "You sleep first. I don't think it's a good idea for us to sleep at the same time."

Chat pouted but his voice was teasing, "I'll sleep better with a snug bug by my side."

"Don't push your luck." She replied instantly, sending him a smirk.

He asked a little curious, but his eyes were closed, "Are we going to talk about what happened in the trailer?"

She stopped pacing, shaking her head, "I think it was just a dream."

"It didn't feel like a dream." He said sleepily.

"It had to be a dream Chat." She leaned back on the chimney next to him as her body was starting to protest her movements. She slid down and sat next to him.

Almost instantly his hand went into hers, and she leaned on his shoulder with a small smile, "For what its worth, even if you are who I dreamed you are, you will always be my kitty. No matter what."

He laid his head against hers, "And you'll always be my bugaboo."

She felt her body getting heavy, "Maybe, I'll close my eyes for a few minutes while you sleep."

"Five more minutes huh?" He teased.

"Just, five more minutes." She whispered.

Chat's eyes snapped open, "No!" There was a blinding flash of white light that forced his eyes closed again.

"Chat move!" He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and jumped sideways, rolling into a crouch as his eyes opened.

"I am Ever-Lasting! You can not defeat me!" The guy told them as he shot energy beams at them from above.

Chat knew his moves were sluggish, and he said it loudly, "M'lady! We need to talk about this!"

She used her yo-yo to get closer to him, dropping at his side breathing heavily, "Something is wrong. You feel it don't you?"

"Like we've done this before." He said instantly, "The akuma's in the circlet."

"You'll be able to pin him down from above." She responded, "I can keep him occupied for a minute."

Chat nodded, "Don't release the akuma, I think you were right before."

She frowned, "We are trapped in a dream. We must have gotten hit by those beams."

He touched the top of her head, "Real or not, we'll stop him."

She watched Chat vault away and got the akuma's attention, making sure his eyes stayed on her. She smirked as Chat leapt from the rooftop onto the akuma's back, sending him slamming into the ground in front of her. She grabbed the circlet from the front of his cloak and realized it, "The akuma's not here."

Chat kept the akuma firmly pinned in place, "Then this is another dream."

Ever-Lasting smirked at them, "Is it? How sure are you?"

Chat Noir and Ladybug looked at each other with a frown. Neither of them were sure of anything right now.

Ladybug asked suddenly, "Can you name the fox Miraculous?"

Chat nodded, "Do you remember what I asked you in the trailer?"

She nodded, "Rena and Carapace?"

"The roof." He said simply, pulling Ever-Lasting to his feet, "What did you do to us?"

Ever-Lasting smirked, "Did I do anything? You've already defeated me, what else is there to do?"

Ever-Lasting managed to get out of Chat's grip and jumped away from them, "Stop fighting it. We've been at this for ages. I think we could all use," he started to smirk, "Five more minutes."

Chat and Ladybug moved at the same time, to go after him. They only fought him for another minute or two before Ladybug had an idea.

"Chat! Fight me!" Ladybug yelled.

Chat nearly slid to a stop as he told her, "Shouldn't we focus on the akuma?"

She went straight for him, throwing her yo-yo with the intent to hit him. He managed to block it as he asked in shock, "Bug what are you doing?!"

"This isn't real! There is no akuma here!" She kept trying to hit him as he backed away from her, purely playing defense against her, "We are wasting our energy trying to fight him. We need to wake each other up. Remember what Rena and Carapace told us on the roof about why we were unconscious?"

Chat said it in understanding, "We were fighting, really fighting because that was a dream too. We were trying to knock each other out,"

"And when we did," she flipped back as he finally swung his baton towards her middle, "We woke up somewhere else!"

He said it with a giant grin, "You are brilliant bugaboo."

Ever-Lasting said it angrily, "You think I'm going to let you ignore me!"

He started shooting beams at them and they dodged his attacks as they fought each other. Ladybug grabbed Chat's outstretched baton and used it to lift herself into the air to avoid Ever-Lasting's beam.

But that was her mistake.

A second beam caught her at full force, throwing her hard into the side of a building.

"M'lady!" Chat yelled panicked, rushing over to her only to have Ever-Lasting shoot him in the back. He landed near her, and she told him softly struggling to keep her eyes open, "Don't, don't fall asleep."

He grabbed her hand, lifting her up so that she was basically sitting in his lap, "Bugaboo, I think, I have an idea."

He saw her starting to slip away as her head fell on his shoulder. He shook her slightly, "Don't sleep bug."

Her words were jumbled, "Five, five more minutes."

He felt sleep take him.

"Adrien and Marinette!"

Marinette shot up, seeing Adrien doing the same thing in front of her. Ms. Mendeleiev was staring at them sternly, pointing towards the door, "Since you want to sleep in class, you two can take a nice walk to the principle's office to wake yourselves up."

Adrien and Marinette exchanged small glances before grabbing their things and walking out of the room.

Marinette yawned and Adrien asked her, "Didn't sleep much last night?"

She shook her head, "No, not at all. You?"

"Same." He said sleepily.

They said it at the same time, "Hawkmoth and his stupid akuma's."

They looked at each other and laughed, "At least it wasn't just me." Adrien said.

Marinette nodded, "No, that thing was obnoxious."

"Right? And with it constantly screaming, I will not be defeated!" Adrien said before sighing, "At least it's over."

Marinette stopped. Was it over?

She didn't remember ever purifying the akuma last night.

Adrien started to frown, "Actually, did you see Ladybug's Miraculous cleanse after it was defeated?"

She shook her head, "No, I was just thinking about that."

Adrien looked at her for a second, putting both hands on her face as he looked into her eyes. She felt her face flush as she asked shakily, "A-Adrien, wh-what are you doing?"

"What were you dreaming about just now?" He asked knowingly.

It all came rushing back to her and her eyes went wide, "Dreaming. We are still dreaming."

He nodded, saying it under his breath, "This is twice now that you're the face I'm seeing m'lady."

She nodded, her voice matching his whisper, "Twice for me too kitty." She grabbed his hand and pulled him into an empty classroom. She immediately started pacing, "Okay, we have to find a way to stop this."

He told her with a smirk, "Would my girlfriend like to hear my idea?"

She stopped mid-stride and looked at him slowly, "Girlfriend?"

He said it with his charming Chat smile, "You did say whatever I wanted."

She shook her head, using her arms to make an X in the air, "Null and void. We are dreaming Adrien."

"So we think." He said, crossing his arms with a slight pout, "How do we know this isn't real?"

She said it quickly, "No stuttering. I can only talk to you this way in my dreams. Otherwise I'm a mess. Also, no purse, which means no Tikki."

Adrien started patting his shirt, "No Plagg."

"We have to still be transformed." Marinette put her hands to her face and felt the slight texture change where her mask should be, making her smile.

"I can feel my mask." She said, watching Adrien lift his hands to his face, "Me too. Hmm, I wonder," he held out his ring, "Claws Out!"

She watched as he transformed, looking down, "I almost didn't think that was going to work."

She tried hers when he looked up at her, "Spots On!"

She was able to transform with the same ease, seeing Chat smile, "I really hope that there is some truth to all this dreaming."

She said it honestly, "Me too. I, I really do love you Adrien, outside of the mask."

He pulled her into his arms tightly, "My heart has always been yours bugaboo. Spots or no spots." He moved back slightly but didn't move his arms from around her waist, "I hope its true, that you are her. You don't know how long I've been pushing down my feelings for my purrincess because of m'lady."

She touched his face softly, "I'm doing the same thing with my kitty, and Adrien."

He smiled, "Your kitty huh?"

She wasn't the least bit ashamed, "Yes. Mine."

There was a crash outside and they saw a beam of light fly past the window. Ladybug moved instantly but Chat grabbed her hand, "Wait, hear me out for a second here."

She nodded, and he let go of her hand, "Every time we fight and defeat him, we fall asleep and end up starting all over right?"

"Right."

"We somehow always end up holding hands, leaning on each other, and then saying that particular phrase." Chat said.

"Also true."

"We were told by Rena and Carapace that we had been fighting, and when we tried fighting in front of the akuma it stopped us. I don't think it's the fighting that's the answer. I think one of us needs to knock the other out completely." Chat told her slowly.

Ladybug saw the immediate flaw, "It's been taking both of us to stop Ever-Lasting, and there is no guarantee that we will wake up back in the real world."

He told her gently, "No, but if we fight him again, this is never going to stop." He grabbed her hand, "Try your Lucky Charm. See if that will help."

She called her Lucky Charm and an alarm clock dropped into her hands. Chat was right. She saw the answer instantly.

She set the alarm timer for five minutes as she told him, "You are stronger than I am, knock me out and then go to sleep somewhere away from me."

He frowned, "I was really hoping you'd knock me out."

She looked at him sternly, "If you do it right, I won't even feel it. Besides the cleanse will take care of anything."

Chat's tail swished behind him in agitation, "Dream or not, I don't want to hurt you bug."

She stood firm and told him, "If you don't do this I will never agree to be your girlfriend ever again."

Chat sighed dejectedly, "Fine."

She braced herself for the punch but he hugged her instead, holding her tightly, "I love you Marinette. I need you to know that."

She closed her eyes, listening to the steady beating of his heart, "I love you too chaton."

He pulled back from her suddenly and she didn't see the fist coming.

One hit was all it took, and she was out cold.

Chat shook out his hand, "Damn that hurt." He watched as her body began to fade away. It had to be working.

He sprawled out on top of the desk near the alarm and closed his eyes, feeling how heavy his body really was. Almost as if, he had been sleeping for a long time.

Ladybug's eyes popped open to the shrill sound of an alarm blaring.

She was sitting on a roof, her hand in Chat Noir's as he leaned into her shoulder. She looked around slowly and saw Rena Rouge and Carapace fighting an akuma, but not just any akuma. Ever-Lasting.

She shut off the ladybug spotted alarm and waited for five minutes, watching Rena and Carapace fighting off Ever-Lasting. Almost to the second, Chat's eyes popped open and he sat up quickly, looking around quickly before focusing on her, "Bugaboo?"

"Kitty. Have a nice nap?" She asked.

He stood and offered her his hand, helping her up before he stretched, "I did, actually. Five minutes was more than enough. I don't feel half as tired as before."

"Me neither. What do you remember?" She asked curious.

He asked her slyly, "What do you remember?"

They held stares until she sighed, "We should go stop Ever-Lasting."

He frowned, "So, we aren't going to talk about it?"

"It was a dream Chat, that's all. Nothing was real." She twirled her yo-yo and took off towards the fight.

Chat said it softly, "It felt real purrincess." He took off after her. Between the four of them, they overpowered Ever-Lasting easily. Chat Noir once again pulled the circlet off of Ever-Lasting's cloak and broke it in half. He watched Ladybug cleanse the akuma before setting off the Miraculous Ladybug's.

The four of them pounded it, but Chat saw Ladybug unsteady on her feet, "No, no not again."

"M'lady?" He asked panicked, holding her up.

"I'm, I'm getting sleepy." She said, stifling a yawn.

He felt himself yawning and Rena told them with a smirk, "You should be sleepy. It's nearly sunrise. We've been out here all night."

Carapace yawned too, "Thankfully it's Saturday so we can sleep in tomorrow."

Chat lifted Ladybug in his arms bridal style, seeing her blush, "What are you doing?"

Her earrings started to beep their first warning and he smirked, "Getting us somewhere private. We need to talk."

They said a quick goodbye to Rena Rouge and Carapace before Chat vaulted them over to a secluded rooftop. He sat her down and sat next to her, grabbing her hand.

"What do you think bugaboo?" He asked immediately.

She said it heavily, "I don't know. This feels right."

"Like its really over." He agreed, not able to hold back the disappointment from his voice, "Did you mean it, when you said none of it was real?"

She squeezed his hand once, "What I thought I saw, what you thought you saw, we can't know for sure."

"Maybe, but I know what I felt was real. I meant everything I said. Didn't you?" He asked in hope.

"Of course I did." She said quickly, leaning her head on his shoulder, "We just, can't kitty. We can't really reveal ourselves to each other. It's not safe."

He leaned his head on hers, disappointment dripping in his voice, "This is reality all right."

She told him softly, "I'm sorry kitty."

He sat up and asked her sadly, "Will you do me a favor bugaboo?"

She said it with a nod, "Of course."

He touched her face and put his forehead to hers, "Give me five more minutes?"

Ladybug felt the tears in her eyes and closed them, holding his hand to her face, "Just five more minutes kitty."

Their lips met instantly, a swelling passion sparked through them that had no equal.

His voice was a soft whisper as he pulled away from her, "I love you Marinette."

More tears collected in her eyes as she whispered it back, "I love you Adrien."

"Marinette! You are going to be late for school!" Tikki cried from above her.

She sat up quickly, looking around confused. Tikki was telling her again that she had to get up or she would be late.

She asked immediately, "Tikki, did we fight an akuma last night?"

Tikki nodded, "Yes, Ever-Lasting, but you and Chat Noir defeated it. I know you've only slept for a couple of hours but,"

"Did I get hit with his powers?" She asked, interrupting Tikki as she struggled to stay calm.

"Yes, but it didn't do anything to you, or Chat Noir when he got hit. Just knocked you both back really hard into a building." Tikki nuzzled her cheek, "It's over Marinette. I know the fight was long, but you purified the akuma like you always do."

Marinette let out a breath of relief, "Okay, good."

Adrien's alarm went off and he groaned, hearing Plagg grumble annoyed, "Turn it off, five more minutes."

The phrase made Adrien's eyes snap open as he sat up in bed, "Wait, what did you say?"

Plagg was rubbing his eyes, "You couldn't even give me five more minutes? We spend half the night fighting an akuma and you still want to get up at this horrid hour of the morning?"

Adrien asked right away, "We fought an akuma last night, and defeated it?"

Plagg looked at him like he had lost his mind, "Duh, otherwise we'd still be out there fighting it. It's over kitten, you did good." Plagg flew closer to him, saying it worried when he didn't respond, "Maybe you should stay home from school today and sleep a little more."

"No, I'll be okay." Adrien said, feeling a little relieved.

As Gorilla dropped him off, he saw Marinette heading his way. Their eyes locked almost instantly. He walked over to her, feeling like he was in a trance, "Hey, good morning Marinette."

"H-hey, gorning, no, g-good morning Adrien." She said, tripping over her words.

He smiled at her softly, "Mind if I walk you to class?"

He watched her eyes go wide before she nodded slowly, "S-sure, I mean, i-if you want to."

He grabbed her bag from her arm, putting it over his shoulder before offering her his arm. She slipped her arm in his hesitantly as she blushed. He smiled at her in reassurance before they walked into school together.

Unknowingly, they were thinking the same thing.

_'Parts of those dreams had to be real.'_

_'They had to be real.'_

_'But if parts of those dreams were real then,'_

_'Which parts were the illusions?'_

_'And which parts were true?'_

_'Is she really,'_

_'Could he really be,'_

Adrien hesitated before walking into the classroom. "A-Adrien?"

He stared into her eyes, part of him wanting to know the truth, and the other part knowing what would happen if he did.

"I, I know this is going to sound weird Marinette but I had a really, really great dream about you last night." He admitted, feeling the heat on his face.

Marinette smiled shocked as she blushed, "I, I did too, have a great dream about you that is."

He asked without hesitating, "Would you like to go have lunch with me today, as a date?"

She felt her heart thundering in her ears, but said it overjoyed, "I'd love to."

He smiled his genuine soft smile at her and they walked into the classroom arm in arm.

As they took their usual seats, their class staring between them in silent shock because of how they walked in, they thought the same thing one last time.

_'True or not, thank the lucky ladybugs for strange dreams.'_

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!**

**As always feel free to comment and review! I thrive on feedback!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	3. Too Much Coffee

**Hey everyone! Here's another one!**

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows!**

**Also I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!**

**Day 3 - Too Much Coffee**

* * *

Her eyes burned. Her hands were shaking. Jackhammer pounding relentlessly assaulted her tired brain. There was fabric everywhere that there was a surface for it to lie on. Some were scraps, some were pieced together already, and others were just a mess.

But was that going to stop her?

Nope.

She would endure the pain.

This was a pivotal point in her life. This dress would make or break everything she believed in. It had to be perfect. There could be no mistakes. Not a single stitch out of place. This was going to be 'the one'. She was sure of it.

Tikki was floating above her, humming to herself and happily munching on another cookie as her holder worked, going nearly fourteen hours straight now.

Tikki loved Marinette's drive to complete her goals. She was unstoppable once she got started. It was what helped her be not just a good Ladybug, but a great Ladybug.

Tikki noticed that Marinette was shaking out her hand again, the third time in five minutes.

"Maybe you should take a small break Marinette. You still have time." Tikki tried.

Marinette smiled up at her for a few seconds before going back to the dress in front of her, "As soon as I get done I can rest. I have to get this done Tikki. I've already had to start over four times."

Tikki sighed but didn't try to push her.

There was a small knock at the door and Tikki flew quickly to hid on Marinette's bed.

"Come in!" Marinette called without losing her rhythm.

"Hey, I wanted to see it before, GIRL!" Alya started happily before yelling at her. "What happened up here? Did your sewing machine explode on you?"

"Ha ha Alya. No, I had to start over. I keep messing up." She said trying not to let it get her down. She could do this. She would do this.

She had to.

She glanced up and saw Alya shaking her head, "I can't believe you are starting over. It's at six right?"

Marinette nodded, but said it quickly, "Please Alya, don't talk about it. If I start thinking about it I get nervous. When I get nervous I start messing up. I can't afford to start over again."

Alya sighed heavily, "I'm calling back up, but first,"

Alya put a hand on her shoulder, making her immediately stop. She turned slightly and saw what was in Alya's other hand, "Is, is that,"

"A gift from the gods. You're welcome." Alya said proudly, holding out the coffee cup to her. "Your mom said you've been going at it all night so I figured you needed it."

She took it, smelling its beautiful caramel aroma in all of its buttery, sugary, coffee goodness. "All praise the great saint Alya." Marinette said easily, taking a sip and letting out a dreamy sigh, "You are the best bestie I could have ever asked for."

Alya laughed, "Yes, that's very true."

They both laughed for a second before Marinette stopped mid-sip and swallowed hard, "Wait, all night, what time is it?"

Alya shook her head, "Nearly eleven now."

"ELEVEN!" Marinette drank the rest of the coffee quickly, letting the caffeine push back the splitting headache like a seasoned battalion and getting back to work.

Alya laughed, "Chill out girl, you are going to make it."

"I'm going to try." She said hoping she would.

Alya asked quickly, "Mind if I separate your fabrics?"

"No, go ahead. I'm sorry it's so messy in here." She added it as she remembered, "Oh, but be careful with anything that looks put together, there might be needles."

"Proceed with caution. Got it." Alya said seriously.

Alya had barely managed to clear a space around her chaise when there was another knock at the door.

"It's open." Alya called.

"Hey guys!" Rose called happily.

"Whoa, what happened here?" Juleka said as she saw the disaster in her room.

Marinette stopped and smiled at them, asking a little confused, "Hey guys, what are you doing here?"

Rose held out two cups to her, "We brought you a pick me up!"

Juleka held up a small bag, "And something to eat."

She took the coffee and smiled brighter, "Thanks girls. You didn't have to do that."

Juleka shook her head, "We know tonight is important to you."

"Alya said you were working hard so we decided to reward your efforts." Rose said with a nod.

She took the small bag from Juleka and opened it, smelling the mixed aroma of the spice bread. She pulled out a piece and popped it in her mouth, her stomach accepting it happily.

She grabbed the first coffee and Alya told her teasing, "If you drink too much too fast, you are going to crash later."

"I haven't slept all night. Crashing is the last thing that I am going to let happen, especially tonight. This will be just enough to keep me going." Marinette said as she downed half the caramel coffee in one go.

Juleka said it concerned, "I thought you'd be done by now."

Alya answered for her, "She's starting over apparently. I found this, and it looks great,"

"Oh that's so cute!" Rose said, taking the unfinished dress from Alya.

Alya nodded, "But then I found these too."

Juleka shook her head, "You started over four times?"

Marinette blushed, "It has to be perfect you guys."

"Knock knock."

The door opened and Alix popped her head in, "I got the SOS, what's, holy crow!"

Alix walked into the room and said it with a whistle, "Sewing machine explosion."

Alya said it instantly, "That's what I said."

Alix pulled off the small back pack she had on as she shook her head, "I should have bet things turned out this way." She pulled out a tall blue bottle before handing it to her, "I stopped and picked this up for you. I thought you might need it."

Marinette beamed as Alya smacked her head, "Tell me that's not,"

"Cold coffee!" Marinette said happily hugging the bottle to her chest, "Caramel?"

Alix nodded with a smirk, "Yes you sugar fiend."

"You girls are the best!" Marinette stood and group hugged Alix, Rose, and Juleka.

Rose and Juleka laughed as Alya warned her again, "Don't do it Marinette."

"This is going to help me get through it for sure." She quickly finished off the first cup of coffee from Rose and Juleka, listening to the girls talk about the state of her room, and her mind – yes she heard them. She went back to working on her dress. She was starting to add the white lace to the soft blue material, so she had to concentrate. The half sleeves are where she messed up last time.

She successfully got one arm done, sighing in relief before starting the other arm. The girls were happily talking to her about tonight, trying to guess as to how things were going to go while trying to ease her tension. She wished she could give them a better idea, but she had no idea what was in store for tonight.

He said he'd handle everything.

She held out the dress in front of her saying it happily, "It's almost done."

"Wow." Juleka said.

"That looks amazing!" Rose said excited.

"Girl, he is going to love it." Alya said smirking.

Even Alix nodded, telling her, "Well, put it on. Let us see."

She went into the bathroom and changed quickly, holding the halter up as she asked them, "There is a dark blue ribbon somewhere, did you guys see it anywhere?"

Juleka nodded, "Here. I put it away since it looked done." She grabbed it out of a ribbon basket near her chaise, holding it out to her, "This one?"

Marinette nodded happily and turned around, "Can you thread the back please?"

Juleka quickly threaded the ribbon up her back, pulling it just tight enough to hold the corset style top in place. "All right."

Marinette turned and showed the girls, "What do you think?"

They all squealed excitedly, Alix smiling as she nodded her appreciation. She changed out of the dress quickly before she could ruin it, hanging it up carefully before grabbing for the last coffee. She could feel the others already wearing off.

Rose and Juleka were helping her with her makeup when a knock sounded at her door, "Come in!"

Mylene opened the door, telling them immediately, "I'm so sorry I'm late you guys. I couldn't get away."

Alya waved her off, "Don't worry about it. We managed to contain the emergen- what is that in your hand?"

Mylene held up the cup, "Oh, I figured if Marinette had been going all night, then by now she probably needed a rush of sugar to keep her going."

Marinette took the cup and held it protectively to her middle, "The home stretch. There is light at the end of the tunnel."

"No drinking." Juleka said sternly. "Close your eyes."

Marinette put the coffee down with a small pout and let Juleka finish with her eye makeup before Rose touched her up a little bit more.

Before Juleka could add the lipstick, she grabbed the coffee and told them, "I'll put it on right before I leave." She took a big drink of the coffee, sighing happily.

The girls were catching Mylene up on the day as she did Marinette's hair expertly in a beautiful half up, half down braided crown. At five-thirty she started to change, letting the girls see the full ensemble and take pictures before they left.

They all wished her luck and then left her alone, Tikki flying over to her when the girls' voices disappeared downstairs.

"They are right, you look amazing Marinette!" Tikki said, flying around her chosen happily.

"Thanks Tikki. I hope he likes it." She was turning back and forth in the mirror, "What if he thinks I look ridiculous? What if he can't stand the color? Do you think he'll think I'm trying too hard? Do I look like I'm trying too hard? Oh Tikki, this wasn't a good idea. I'm totally going to embarrass myself in front of him, or even worse just embarrass him all together! He's going to hate me and,"

"Marinette calm down!" Tikki told her quickly, trying to stop the rant before it could go on, "He's not going to hate you. He is the one who asked you out remember? I'm sure he is going to think you are beautiful no matter what. You know that he likes you for you. Don't forget that."

Marinette tried to calm down, "Okay, you're right. I can do this. I'm confident! I'm Marinette!"

Tikki nodded, "At a girl!"

"Marinette, a very handsome young man is here waiting for you!" Her mother called up embarrassingly.

She called down quickly, feeling her face flush, "I'm coming!"

She grabbed her silver purse, letting Tikki fly into it before applying the light pink lip gloss over the soft beige lipstick Juleka told her to use. She nodded to herself one more time in the mirror before walking downstairs, being extremely careful not to fall flat on her face.

The second he came into view, her heart melted. His piercing green eyes were bright, his smile radiating sunshine as he stared at her lovingly.

She walked up to him with her own smile, "You do look very handsome."

He lifted her hand and kissed it gently, never taking his eyes from hers, "And you put the stars to shame."

She felt herself blushing and told him softly, "I'm sorry I kept you waiting."

He shook his head, his soft smile never faltering, "For you, I'd wait forever if I had to."

He kept her hand as they walked out. Adrien opened the car door for her and then got in on the other side, immediately taking her hand again.

He said it shyly, "Thank you for doing this."

She said it easily, "Thank you for asking." She looked down slightly, "I know, after Ladybug I'm not anything special,"

"Hey," he said softly, lifting her eyes back to his. He was nothing short of sincere, "You are not a second choice. I had to choose between what was real and what I wanted to be real." His hand tightened around hers, "Ladybug, she was the first girl I fell in love with, but you are the love that I want for the rest of my life."

Her heart skipped a beat as he told her, "I'm sorry that, it took me so long to realize it."

She kissed his cheek, seeing him blush as she told him the same thing he told her, "For you, I would have waited forever if I had to."

They smiled at each other lovingly as they pulled up to the Eiffel Tower. She asked a little worried, "What are we doing here?"

He laughed, "A little trust please." He held out his hand and she took it right away. Gorilla walked right behind them, giving them space but still being near enough in case something happened.

He took her to the restaurant there, but most of the tables had been moved in favor of tall cocktail tables. She raised an eyebrow at him and said it happily, "They are doing an event tonight where they are showcasing one very special, beloved, Marinette approved ingredient."

She smiled asking quickly, "What is it?"

He laughed quietly, "Coffee."

She smiled brighter and they moved to one of the tall tables. There were no big courses, but appetizer after appetizer came out. They were all made in some way with coffee, along with a small cup of paired coffee to go with it.

Marinette was definitely getting her fill of coffee overload, and everything was delicious.

When the event was over, Adrien had another surprise for her waiting on the private upper floor of the tower. Reserved just for them.

The private viewing area was littered with candles surrounded by rose petals. In the center a large blanket was spread out. Two large black pillows were waiting for them.

"Oh Adrien, this is beautiful." She whispered.

She looked away from the romantic scene in front of her and saw him holding a rose out to her, "For the most beautiful girl in all of Paris."

She took the rose from him and smiled into its petals. They sat down on the pillows and stared out at the beautiful city they loved lighting up.

She leaned on Adrien's arm and he put his arm around her waist in silence. She closed her eyes contently, feeling him put his head on hers.

"You know, for a long time, more than anything I wanted to know who Ladybug really was. I knew my feelings for her wouldn't change no matter who she was underneath. When I tried to date someone else, when I tried to move on, there was always something there holding me back. I always pushed it down, telling myself that those feelings for Ladybug would fade. I had someone in front of me who liked me for me, but at the end of the day, that was it. She liked me, but she didn't love me."

He closed his eyes, "Then, when the storm clouds tried to roll in, the ray of sunshine that had been right behind me the entire time finally washed over me. Pulling me in. Those feelings, that warmth and pure acceptance, despite the pain I caused, were stronger than anything I had ever felt in my life. The only thing that came close was the first time I saw Ladybug stand up to Hawkmoth."

He said it with a smile, "I even started thinking for a while there that you were Ladybug, and in a way you are. You are our everyday Ladybug."

He looked down wanting to see her reaction, only to smile at her when he realized it.

She was sound asleep on his shoulder.

He kissed the top of her head, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear gently.

He took a quick picture of them before sending it to Alya with a question, "_What did you girls do to her this afternoon?_"

Alya's response was instant, "_LMAO The short answer? Too much coffee._"

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**As always feel free to comment and review! Feedback is my precious!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	4. Ladybug but Different

**Hey everyone! So, I hate Lila. FYI. One of the best, WORST characters who ever breathed an imaginary breath. I hate her. HATE her. Eh hem *clears throat* so on that note, I also can't wait for the day that she gets what she deserves. Someone needs to bring that girl down to size without laying a single finger on her. But a fist, yeah, a fist would do *wink***

**Why am I telling you this? You'll have to read to find out!**

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! You get a heart, and you, and you!**

**Also I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!**

**Day 4 - Ladybug, but Different**

* * *

Marinette watched from a distance as her friends fawned over Lila and all her lies.

She didn't understand how none of them could see it. How they could simply take everything Lila said as fact, no matter how far-fetched it was.

She sighed heavily, and went back to sketching. 'Take the high road.' Adrien had said. She had been trying. She wanted to, but sooner or later, the stress of this situation was going to break her. Even with Tikki's friendship and reassurance that everything would be okay, she honestly didn't know anymore.

"Marinette has a crush on me?!"

Her head snapped up, catching the shocked green eyes of the boy she loved staring over at her. In fact, everyone was so busy staring at her, that no one saw the absolute look of joy on Lila's face.

That was it.

The line was crossed.

She was done.

She started packing her things quickly, hearing Lila say it apologetically, "Oh no, I'm so sorry I shouldn't have said that. She didn't want you to know. She knows you'll turn her down because you are in love with someone else."

She put her bag over her shoulder and Adrien was nearly on top of her when she turned around.

Her face was radiating heat, and she saw the shock still on his face, "Lila's, lying, right?"

She gripped the strap of her bag. Lila wanted to play, well it was time she took the offensive, "No. I do like you Adrien, as more than a friend. I have for a long time. That day at the wax museum, I meant every word, but I know you'd never have feelings for someone like me. You are already in love with someone else and I respect that."

He had a small frown on his face, "Someone like you? You mean someone who is amazing and beautiful, and genuinely good inside and out?"

A sense of calm had rush over her, and she said it without tears, "I appreciate that, but I know you don't mean it the way I do. You never have, and Lila knows it. I'm sure Alya was the one who told her about you loving someone else. I was the one who told her after that day."

"Why didn't you say anything before?" He asked shakily.

"I didn't want things to be more awkward then they already were. Adrien," she cupped his cheek gently, "You, are one of the best people I have ever met. You are kind and caring. You are courageous and protective." She smiled softly, "A little dorky, and your puns are so terrible they make me cringe. Even if they are funny sometimes."

He had a small smile on his face as she rubbed his cheek with her thumb, "But I know how sad you are. I know it's not easy for you, that you feel awkward trying to make friends. I didn't want to make it harder, and I'm sorry if I have." She sighed and moved her hand, holding his gaze, "I wish I could let you see yourself the way I see you, so that you know you have nothing to prove. I'm proud of everything you do, and blown away by how you take it all in stride without complaint."

She tried to smile, "I wish I could give you one day of complete freedom, even though you deserve so much more."

He actually looked like he had tears in his eyes.

"I am in love with you Adrien, but I'm also your friend. That doesn't have to change, and you don't even have to choose. I know I'm nothing special, so don't worry." She felt the traitor tears in her eyes starting, "I can deal with my own broken heart."

She leaned up and kissed his cheek, immediately turning and walking away.

She only barely glanced over at her class, all of them shocked beyond belief while Lila smiled smugly.

Yes she had embarrassed her, but that was okay. Now that it was out and Adrien knew, Lila couldn't use it against her.

Now, she was going to fight back.

…

"So what do you think?" Alya asked, stretched out on the bench next to her.

She looked up from her tablet and asked confused, "About?"

Alya shook her head but asked again, "The time frame you would need to make a dress."

Marinette told her honestly, "It depends on how complicated it is. The simpler the faster."

"Simple is great. So you can do it?" Alya asked excitedly.

"I'd need some time to sketch something out, then actually put it together, but you know I can." She said, confused as to why Alya was asking her things she already knew.

Alya pulled out her phone, "That's so great. Lila is going to be so happy."

Marinette stared at her friend, "I'm sorry? Lila?"

Alya looked at her seriously, "She knew you would never say yes if she asked."

"I wouldn't, and I'm not." She said evenly, going back to her tablet.

Alya said it half-heartedly, "Ha ha very funny."

She said it harder, "I'm not making anything for her. Period. You asked if I can make a dress, and you know I can. If it's going to end up in her hands, the answer is no."

Alya looked at her hard, "You are really still going to treat her that way? I know she outed your feelings to Adrien but, she was trying to help you."

She rolled her eyes, "She wasn't trying to help me, but I'm not wasting my breath explaining why. It's not like you'll believe me anyways. I'm not making anything for her, so don't ask."

Alya stood angrily, "What is your problem Marinette? Since when do you have a problem doing things for people? I'm your best friend, you can't even do this one thing for me?"

She turned off her tablet, putting it in her bag before looking Alya in the eye, "I'm your best friend. Are you sure? Because if you are, that means you know me right?"

Alya nodded but was still angry, "Of course I know you, better then anyone."

"Really?" She asked instantly, "So, when have you ever known me to hate anyone? Besides Chloe who bullied me half my life."

Alya threw her hands up, "Never, that's why I don't understand what your problem is with Lila."

"Am I a liar?" She asked simply. "Have I ever lied about anything important, ever, even if it meant I was going to get in trouble?"

"Well no but,"

"Don't I always go out of my way to help people even if it means causing problems for myself?"

"Well yes but,"

"Am I not a good friend?"

"Of course you are!" Alya said, her eyes softening with every question.

"Then why is it that the one time I start acting out of character with someone, you think I'M the one with the problem? Don't you think that if I'm treating her a certain way, it's probably for a good reason?"

"That's my point, you don't have a good reason. Lila is a good person and really just wants to be your friend."

"She wants, to turn everyone against me. She wants, to see me broken. She WANTS Adrien, like he is some prize she can put on her shelf. You believe everything that comes out of her mouth, without question and without fail, but you can't give your best friend the same courtesy without proof to go with it?"

She stood and asked Alya seriously, "When's the last time you asked Lila for proof about the things she said?"

Alya went completely quiet, and Marinette nodded knowingly, "Not once. I'm not even surprised anymore." She picked up her bag and said it harder than she normally would have, "Thanks so much best friend. You really know how to have someone's back."

She walked away from Alya, letting out a deep breath as she tried not to cry. She hated this. She hated doing this but she had to start getting them to see what they were doing. They were being blinded by Lila's lies, and if she didn't get them to open their eyes, eventually they were going to get hurt.

She headed up the stairs and saw Lila laughing with Kim and Max. Max was showing her something on his tablet, but as Lila looked up, she smirked and waved at her, "Oh Marinette, there you are! Alya said you were going to design a dress for me. I can't thank you enough!"

"That's really cool of you Marinette." Kim said with a smile.

Lila walked over to her, a wicked gleam in her icy stare, and she said it without hesitating, "Alya shouldn't be promising things she can't deliver on. I'm not making you a dress."

Lila put her on best disappointed face, "Oh, I, I was really looking forward to it. Your designs are so amazing. I just thought, now that you don't have to be jealous of Adrien and I dating anymore,"

"One, I seriously doubt you are dating Adrien. Two, I was never, and will never be jealous of you. Three, you are only doing this because you think you are going to back me into a corner and you aren't."

Kim told her sternly, "Why do you have to be like that Marinette? You don't have to be so mean."

Max nodded, "You've done dresses for the girls before. Lila is part of our class. You can't just leave her out."

"I'm not leaving her out. I'm refusing to waste my time on someone who wouldn't appreciate my work on her best day." She looked straight at Kim, "We've known each other since elementary school Kim. Have you ever known me to be mean, to anyone else?"

Kim said it quickly, "No you are like the queen of nice."

She nodded, "Yet it's not a red flag that the 'queen of nice' isn't being nice?"

Kim frowned slightly.

She looked at Max, "You run the numbers, what is the percent chance of my refusing to do something for someone if they've done nothing wrong to me?"

Max's response was instant, "Less than two percent."

"So doesn't that logically mean that the ninety-eight percent left is the chance of me refusing to do something for someone who HAS?"

Max's eyes widened and he went quiet, much like Alya had.

She had a sarcastic smile on her face as she held Lila's hard eyes, "Thanks for telling Adrien about my feelings. That's one less card in the deck you can use against me. Let's see who runs out first."

"Hey Marinette, there you are."

She turned around and saw Marc, smiling at him, "Hey Marc. Everything okay?"

He nodded, shifting a little nervously, "I wanted you to look over something for me, if you have a second."

She said it happily, "Sure." She turned to wave at them, "Bye Kim, Bye Max, see you later."

She followed Marc to the art room and sighed heavily. He asked a little worried, "That's the girl huh?"

She nodded, "Yeah. It's taking a lot out of me to try and make them see how she really is but,"

Marc pulled out his notebook, "Good liars are good liars for a reason."

She asked a little curious as he handed her the notebook, "Has Nathaniel looked at his yet?"

Marc said it frustrated, "I tried to talk to him, about her, and he practically bit my head off. He's not talking to me right now."

She felt another chain attach to the link around her heart, "Oh Marc, I'm so sorry. I never meant to get between you guys."

Marc shook his head, "You are my friend. If you say she is bad news, I believe you. Given how Nathaniel acted, it makes it more believable."

"I can't believe this!"

They looked towards the door and their eyes widened, seeing that the angry voice was coming from one, Luka Couffaine.

"Luka, what's wrong?" She asked immediately.

"Juleka and Rose just yelled at me. They YELLED at me, for asking if they had proof about Lila saying she was doing charity work with Prince Ali. All I did was ask if she had shown them pictures, or if there were newspaper articles, and they told me to stop bullying her by asking for things like that. They completely ignored my questions."

He sat on the table next to them, an uncharacteristic scowl on his face. "There aren't pictures, or articles online by the way."

She got up and grabbed a guitar from the rack, bringing it back to him, "I tried to tell you they wouldn't listen."

"I'm her brother." Luka said, taking the guitar from her gently and strumming a few quick notes to test it, "She's known Lila for a few months. She's known me my whole life, and she thinks I was bullying her? I've never been a bully, to anyone. What kind of evil does that girls heart really hold to turn everyone blind this way?"

The three of them sighed, and there was a quiet knock at the door.

"Mind if I, join you?" Adrien asked.

Luka asked him hard, still upset over his fight with Juleka and Rose, "Why, is there anything you or the rest of your class needs to take out on Marinette?"

Adrien flinched, but didn't move, "I know that Lila is a liar. I've known for a long time."

She touched Luka's arm gently and he instantly looked at her, questioning if she was going to be okay with him around. She nodded and he asked Adrien, "You've known for a long time huh?"

Adrien nodded, looking between them, "I thought if we just, let her, her lies would come back to her eventually."

"How's that working out?" Luka asked him, strumming annoyed notes on the guitar.

Adrien looked at her, his voice sincere, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I let it go on this long and let you try to fight her on your own. You, you are my friend and I should have been a better one."

She smiled at him, "Thank you." She told him looking down, "And I'm sorry, if I made you feel weird yesterday."

He told her quickly, "No, no you didn't I, it was just unexpected." There was a small blush on his cheeks and Marc told him smirking, "Do you always blush when you find out a girl is in love with you?"

Luka laughed and she hit them both on the arm just hard enough so they knew she was serious, "Stop guys, leave Adrien alone."

"No, I don't." Adrien said suddenly.

Luka's soft tune turned extremely romantic and she shot him a stern look, but he just smiled and kept playing to himself.

She had to get the subject off of Lila and her very recent self-rejection to the boy she loved.

"Marc, why don't you show Adrien the first chapter? I'm sure he'll love it. He's a dork-asaurus." She smiled over at him so that he knew she was teasing.

He smiled back, blushing a little more, "Yeah, sort of."

Marc asked right away, "You like superhero's?"

Adrien's eyes lit up, "For sure." He walked over to Marc and sat down on his other side. Marc pulled out the comic that he and Nathaniel had worked on.

Adrien was flipping through it excitedly, asking questions about the story and the artwork.

She was reading the new section of the story from the same comic. She was really getting into when Luka asked her softly, "Have you talked to any of them yet?"

She glanced up at him, "Alya, Max, and Kim."

"What about the, other half of the coin? Monkey, fox, horse?" He asked subtly.

She shook her head, "No. I'm just not using them anymore. Good luck and bad luck only. We'll have to make sure our streak stays strong."

Luka nodded, "Have you talked to bad luck?"

She didn't answer and he put his hand over hers, "You need to talk to him, soon. He needs to know that you've nearly been,"

"I know." She cut him off.

Luka was the only person she had finally spilled her guts to a few weeks ago, after he found her running from an akuma that was refusing to give up.

"That's so cool. You'll have to show me the next one when you guys are done, these are awesome." Adrien was saying quickly.

Luka saw her watching Adrien sadly and nudged her arm with his leg, "You need to talk to him too. Alone."

She bit her bottom lip, "One obstacle at a time."

He twirled her pigtail in his finger before jumping up, "Nothing but confidence. You know where to find me if you need me. Adrien,"

Adrien and Marc looked over at him, "I know you're a good person, but don't let good turn into naïve."

Adrien glanced at her before nodding, "Noted."

Luka smiled, telling them goodbye before walking out now that he had calmed down.

Marc asked her quickly, "What do you think?"

"I think once you get it laid out in the comic, epic won't even begin to cover it." She said easily. "Oh, I almost forgot." She reached into her bag and pulled out the small box, "Ta-da!"

He took it happily, "You fixed them? Thank you so much!" He opened the box and pulled out the black gloves. Smiling at the little gold buttons at the wrists, "You're the best Marinette."

She giggled, "Give a girl a needle and she'll stich the world together."

She and Marc laughed and Adrien said it shyly, "If anyone could do it, it would be you."

She felt herself blushing and Marc winked at her subtly, "I'm going to try and get some homework done. You'll be okay here?"

She nodded, mouthing him a thank you before he walked out with his things.

The air instantly turning awkward.

"I'm, I'm really bad at stuff like this." Adrien said suddenly, looking around the art room.

"Art can be learned. Just like anything." She said reassuringly.

He looked away from her, "That's, not what I meant."

She waited, and he sighed frustrated, "About, talking about my feelings. I've been thinking about what you said yesterday, I thought about it all night. I barely slept."

She apologized again, "I'm sorry. Really Adrien, it's okay. I promise I understand. My feelings are my problem. You are in love with someone else,"

"Would you like to actually hear my feelings?" He asked.

She shook her head, "I don't need the details. Knowing is enough. It was stupid for me to think you'd ever notice someone like me in the first place."

His eyes turned hard, "I really wish you would stop saying that. Someone like me, as if you don't mean anything, or that you are beneath me or something."

She stayed quiet and he asked her sadly, "You, do you really think that?"

When her voice still failed her, he told her strongly, "Stop thinking that, right now. The distance between me and you," he put his hand to her face, "isn't any farther then this right here."

She put her hand over his and pulled it off of her face, squeezing her eyes shut so she wouldn't cry, "Please don't do this to me. I-I'm trying to be your friend. I'm trying to bury everything I feel. I don't want you to feel like you are responsible for anything. I'm not even asking you to return my feelings. We can be friends," her voice cracked, "and that's fine."

"Don't I get a say in this?" He asked, holding her hand tightly enough that she knew he wouldn't let her pull away.

"I know you don't have the same feelings I do. You don't have to take pity on me just because we go to school together. Honestly that would probably be worse."

There was a fire burning behind his bright green eyes as she finally opened hers to look at him. His voice was serious, "Yes, it would be worse."

Her eyes widened in shock as he kissed her suddenly, with a passion that matched her own.

He pulled away before she could react, watching his eyes open as he asked smiling, "Did that feel like pity to you?" His smile turned into a small smirk, "I'd be glad to continue trying to convince you otherwise."

She stood quickly and moved away from him, but he stood with her as she shook her head, saying it sadly, "I don't want to be a second choice."

He kept his distance but matched her step for step, "You are NOT a second choice. You are THE choice, the one I've been trying to make for weeks." He admitted.

That couldn't be true, "You don't mean that."

He said it sadly, "I understand why you think that, but I'm telling you the truth. The other girl," he trailed off and she said it knowingly, "Kagami."

"Kagami?" He asked quickly, "No, it's not her. We've only ever gone out as friends, and are too much alike. We are friends but that's all."

"Then who,"

"Ladybug." He said simply, cutting her off.

Her heart skipped a beat, "L-Ladybug? What about her?"

"The someone I'm in love with, it's Ladybug." He said, looking at her seriously. "At least, I thought I was. I do love her, in a way, but the way I felt around her, and the way I feel around you, it's so different and I didn't know which one was real. I didn't know the difference between loving and being in love. My, friend, started getting frustrated with me and told me to wake up and smell the cheese."

He rolled his eyes and she didn't understand why he looked annoyed at being told that.

"He told me that I needed to make a choice. His solution was to flip a coin and be done with it."

She was staring at him in complete shock, and he told her quickly, "I didn't! I refused, telling him how dumb that was and how that wasn't a way to make a choice like this. So he posed a scenario to me."

She asked shakily, "Which was?"

"If I was out of my current situation, which girl would I be willing to never see again? If one or the other suddenly disappeared from the world without a trace, who would be the one it would kill me to lose?"

She swallowed hard and he closed the gap between them, "You. If I never saw you again, I'd never stop thinking about you. If you suddenly disappeared," he grabbed her hands, "even just thinking about it puts this weight on my chest. It feels like someone has their hand in my chest, and is squeezing with all of their might. I feel like, the sun would cease to exist, and the stars wouldn't have any more reason to shine. If you disappeared, I'd never stop looking for you. I'd never accept that you were gone, and I'd never be the same ever again."

She let her head fall against his chest as she squeezed his hand, her thumb brushing across the ring on his finger.

She turned his hand slightly, seeing the silver band he was never without since the day she met him. She lifted her head and raised his hand between them, looking at the ring curiously.

"Marinette?" He asked worried.

She couldn't take her eyes of the ring. It had four small points around the circle, and she could have sworn that its design was, familiar?

Not familiar in that she had seen Adrien wear it everyday, but familiar as in, she had watched a bright green paw print slowly fade from the center after…

"Adrien, w-where did you get this ring?" She asked without looking away from it.

"Oh, I, uh, I've had it for a long time." He said carefully.

She looked up into his eyes, searching, trying to make it make sense, putting his words into context that would cause it all to click. She couldn't help herself. She used her hands to hide his face around his eyes so that those were all she could see.

"Marinette, what are you doing?" He whispered.

Her eyes widened as the answer shined through, the veil of magic fading.

She covered her mouth with both of her hands, trying to stifle the hysteric giggles that were escaping.

She started crying, really crying and Adrien asked her panicked, "What's wrong? What just happened?"

She asked quickly, hoping he would understand the way she did, "Would you understand me, if I told you that I couldn't be in love with only half of someone, that without knowing them fully like the way I knew the boy in my heart, I couldn't let myself be in love with you kitty?"

He took a step back and stared at her hard, his eyes going straight to her earrings. He closed the distance again and turned her head slightly, running his thumb over the small stud.

He looked into her eyes, whispering it shakily, "M'lady?"

She smiled, laughing as she cried, "H-Hi Kitty."

Tears formed and instantly fell from his eyes, "Bugaboo, bugaboo its," he threw his arms around her and she hugged him back, burying herself in his neck as he lifted her up in his arms.

He asked instantly, "Me, me Adrien Agreste, is who you were turning me, your kitty, down for?"

She nodded and he laughed, still crying the way she was, "That's, just my luck."

She laughed harder and hugged him again, "I'm sorry. I knew your feelings and I still,"

"No, don't be sorry. I did the same thing, in reverse. God it's so obvious now." He said frustrated with himself. He looked down at her and asked instantly, "Bugaboo will you please, please Marinette, let me take you out on a date, as my girlfriend?"

She felt her heart shatter into a million beautiful pieces of pure happiness that coursed through her entire being, "I'd love that Chaton."

He kissed her again, softer this time, but pouring every ounce of love he had into it.

She pulled away, saying it lightly, "I may have to thank Lila seriously now, for opening her big mouth."

Adrien grinned, and she saw his Chat out in full view. She was instantly suspicious and asked sternly in her Ladybug voice, "What's with that grin like you've caught the mouse and are playing with it?"

He chuckled but his grin only widened, putting the Cheshire Cat to shame, "You trust me m'lady?"

"With my life." She said instantly.

He nodded, saying it proudly, "Then let your Chat catch you a rat."

...

It had taken all week, but everything was set. God he hoped this worked.

He watched Marinette walk in, taking a deep breath before asking her carefully, "Marinette, can I talk to you about something?"

She stopped, asking in a worried tone, "S-sure. What's up?"

He didn't hesitate, in this instant, he couldn't, "How long did you think it was going to last?"

Her eyes widened, "I-I'm sorry?"

He asked again, "How long did you think you were going to be able to get away with treating people this way?"

Marinette immediately looked behind him to Lila before holding his eyes, "Please, tell me you aren't doing this."

He asked her hard, "Doing what? Standing up for myself? Standing up for my friend? You really are a piece of work. I thought you were better than that."

"Adrien," she said quickly but he didn't stop, "Lila told me everything. I know about you practically stalking her when she came to my house, how you practically stalked me. You stole my phone straight out of my locker and are treating her badly because you think I'm some trophy you can put on your shelf. You really thought you were going to use me to become a designer?"

Her voice was shaking, "That's not true!"

His voice was unintentionally getting louder. "Then what, you put it in everyone's head that you were in love with me, just so you could have me to yourself? You don't care about me. You don't care about anyone but yourself and your feelings."

Nino put a hand on his arm, saying it hard, "Dude,"

He brushed Nino off, "What? You heard what Lila was telling everyone the other day. Marinette acts like she's this great person but she's not. She's never cared about me, or any of us."

He looked back at Marinette, seeing the tears building in her eyes as his stomach turned, "A genuine good person like Lila comes along and you show your true colors. You really had me fooled there. I actually though that you were my friend."

His voice dropped, but everyone in class was locked in silent shock as he said it, "But hey congratulations. I can officially say that you the most selfish, self-centered, lying hypocrite I've ever known."

Alya said it angry behind him, "Don't talk to her like that!"

He barely turned to look at Alya, he was holding Marinette's gaze. He didn't remember ever getting to his feet, "You don't have to keep defending her Alya. Lila was right about her, about everything. She uses people to make herself look good. You said it yourself, she refused to do something simple like make a dress for Lila, for no reason."

Acid dripped in every word as the tears finally started falling down Marinette's face, "I can't believe I ever defended someone as worthless as you."

It happened so fast he didn't feel it.

Her voice was thick as she told him angrily, his hand slowly going up to what was sure to be a quickly reddening cheek, "You're an asshole."

She turned and bolted out of the room.

He slowly sat down, letting out a loud huff.

Nino told him angrily, "That wasn't cool Adrien."

Alya was on her feet, glaring daggers at him, "That girl loves you, more than anything! It was bad enough that you ignored her feelings, how dare you call her worthless!"

He turned back, holding Lila's triumphant, smug eyes, "Lila's been telling me about Marinette, and everything she did. If you hadn't told her some of those things Alya, I would have never known. Someone like her, who can lie and manipulate everyone into believing she's some great person IS worthless."

Lila stood suddenly, telling him angrily, "I told you those things so you would know the truth, not so you could turn around and hurt Marinette."

She headed out of the room quickly and Adrien rolled his eyes, using every ounce of willpower he had not to smirk. It had worked. Lila was going after Marinette to rub her victory in her face. Another piece had been moved into place.

Check.

Alya's hands were shaking fists at her side, "I can't believe you. I can't believe after everything that girl has done for you,"

He said it instantly, his tune changing now that Lila was gone, "I'm sick of staying quiet Alya. Marinette knows I love her, and after this phone call, you'll see the kind of person Lila really is."

He saw her face go from anger to outright confusion, "Wait, I'm sorry what?"

He glanced around at their classmates, his phone started ringing in his pocket. He told all of them, "Lila is a liar and has been threatening Marinette for months. You wanted proof, so here you go. Listen to this." He put answered and put his phone on speaker. In seconds they heard Marinette saying it upset, "Leave me alone Lila."

Lila's laugh was pure joy, "Look at you, exactly where I told you you'd be. I told you didn't I? I don't lose. Ever."

Marinette told her again, "Lila for once, please, leave me alone. You won. Everyone hates me, so go away."

Lila chuckled darkly, "Oh no, this, I am going to savor. I'll give you credit, you lasted longer than most. Those idiot friends of yours turned on you like it was nothing." She laughed once, "I have them right where I want them. They believe everything I say, and don't want anything to do with you anymore. After all, you are so mean to poor Lila."

Marinette said it harder, "You don't even appreciate them."

"Why should I? They don't mean anything to me. They are just here to help make YOU miserable. All you had to do was go along with my lies, and this could have all been avoided." They heard footsteps, "Ugh, I can't stand people like you. Miss perfect little Marinette who does no wrong and is friends with everyone. Everyone loves her. Everyone has nice things to say about her. Miss perfect who always helps and is always there for her friends. Where are your stupid little friends now? Oh that's right, they aren't your friends anymore. I have them all turned against you, exactly the way I told you I would."

Marinette didn't say anything and Lila kept going, "Glance at the door all you want. No one is coming to save you. You even lost your knight in shining armor. The love of your pathetic life can't even stand the sight of you."

Lila laughed again, "Worthless little nothing. That's all you've ever been, and it's all you'll ever be."

Marinette squealed slightly and Lila laughed, "That's where you belong worthless trash. On the floor under my foot." They heard a groan and Lila said it happily, "Adrien will be mine by the end of the day. The perfect trophy to have on my victory shelf." Lila's laugh disappeared, and the call disconnected.

He looked straight at Alya who had tears in her eyes. He asked her evenly, "Was that proof enough for you?"

Alya's tears spilled over, "She, she, and Marinette,"

"Tried to tell you. Tried to tell everyone, and no one would listen." Adrien said, sliding his phone back in his pocket.

"I'm so sorry you guys." Lila walked back into the room, a defeated frown on her face, "Marinette wouldn't talk to me, and she won't come out of the bathroom stall. That was really awful what you did to her Adrien,"

"Shut the hell up." Alya said hard.

Lila looked up at Alya in shock, "Alya? What's wrong?"

Alya moved from behind the desk with a purpose and Nino stopped her before she could take a more then a few steps, "Don't do it Als."

Alya was struggling to get out of Nino's hold, "YOU, YOU LYING, HATEFUL BITCH! WAIT UNTIL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU! YOU ARE GOING TO WISH YOU NEVER SET FOOT INTO THIS SCHOOL!"

Lila took a few steps back, "Alya, I don't understand,"

Adrien smirked as Nino told her sternly, "Don't even try it."

Kim sounded just as angry, "We heard what you said to Marinette just now."

Lila tried to play innocent, "I only tried to get her to come back to class. She started to yell at me,"

"You can stop lying now." Juleka said angrily.

Rose nodded next to her, "We heard you threaten Marinette. Like you have been for months."

"Me? Threaten her? I would never do something like that." Lila said, a real worried look starting to show.

Max said it evenly, "Marinette called Adrien. We heard everything."

Lila looked straight at him in rage, and his grin widened nearly ear-to-ear, "Knight takes Queen. Check Mate. You lose."

Lila was fuming, and her demeanor finally broke, "So what? You think she'll just forgive all of you for turning on her? That after everything YOU said to her that she'd still love someone as pathetic as you? All of you idiots treated her like the trash she is, so even if you know the truth, she'll never be your friend again. I count that as a win in my book."

Adrien told her clearly, "You really think I'd ever tell my girlfriend she is worthless without her permission?"

Lila's face fell as she said it shocked, "Girlfriend?"

"Oh, I'm sorry where are my manners? Ever since you tried to humiliate her in front of the entire school by telling me about her crush, we've been dating. I have to genuinely thank you for that. If you hadn't, I would have never had the courage to tell her that I had a crush on her too."

Lila's face started to turn red in her anger. He knew how he was going to drive the nail into her coffin, "You didn't find it odd that I suddenly asked you about things I shouldn't know about? Marinette was the one who told me everything. She explained what was REALLY going on in those situations where my phone got taken and when she followed you to my house. I forgave her for all of it, instantly. She was looking out for me, unlike you," he said it narrowing his eyes at her, "who thinks I'm some trophy to be put on your victory shelf."

Lila told him nearly screeching, "No one will ever believe her. I made sure of it. I have those idiot teachers believing my lies too. It's my word against hers, and her word means nothing."

Everyone was quiet as it seemed to echo, "_her word means nothing._"

Lila turned back to the door and saw Marinette standing there, a voice recorder in her hand. She and Lila were staring at each other as Marinette rewound it back so they could all hear it, "_Worthless little nothing. That's all you've ever been, and it's all you'll ever be._"

Marinette paused it and told her, "Both conversations are recorded. Thank you for letting me borrow your recorder Adrien."

Lila turned back to him glaring as he told Marinette happily, "Anything for my one and only lady."

Marinette smiled at him softly and as Lila took an angry step towards Marinette, Principle Damocles appeared at the door with Miss Bustier.

"What exactly seems to be the problem here?" Principle Damocles asked.

The class nearly all started going off at once, Adrien and Marinette staying silent as she moved over to him. He took her hand as Principle Damocles told everyone, "All right that's enough. Everyone return to your seats!"

Alya tried, "But sir she,"

"Miss Cesairé, you can not simply accuse someone of lying or threatening another student without proof." Principle Damocles reminded her.

Adrien raised his hand, "Sir, we have proof. I let Marinette borrow my voice recorder when she told me that Lila had threatened her more then once."

Lila had crocodile tears falling, "She's the one who threatened me. She has never liked me, and has always been jealous of me. I just wanted to be her friend and,"

"_No one will ever believe her. I made sure of it. I have those idiot teachers believing my lies too. It's my word against hers, and her word means nothing._" He pushed pause and saw their teachers faces go into shock before Principle Damocles asked him, "Mister Agreste. I think I'd like to hear the rest of what was recorded on there."

"Whatever you need sir." He handed them the recorder and Principle Damocles nodded, "I'll return it once I have made copies."

"Keep it for as long as you need." He said easily.

"Miss Rossi, I think we should move this conversation to my office. Immediately. Us, idiot teachers, have a lot to discuss with you, and I'm sure your mother would like to be there for it."

Lila shot Adrien and Marinette death stares before following after Principle Damocles.

Miss Bustier only stayed for a moment, just long enough to tell them to use their last class to study and finish homework independently. She walked out to no doubt go join Principle Damocles and Lila.

They were barely alone for a few seconds when Marinette squeezed his hand and took off.

"Marinette!" A few people called out to her.

"Marinette wait!" Alya begged, going for the door.

"Let her go guys." Adrien told them seriously.

Alya had real tears in her eyes, "We, we need to talk to her. We need to apologize and,"

"She needs time." Adrien told her, "She's hurt. If you try to apologize to her right now, she may not actually forgive you."

"But Adrien," Nino said sadly, "We have to."

"We were all so awful to her." Mylene said guilty.

He tried to smile at them, "Give her a few days. She deserves that much right?"

Everyone was going back and forth about going straight to the bakery after school, but finally took Adrien's advice to give her a few days.

Not that he was going to take that advice himself.

…

He landed on the roof near-silently and was barely jumping down to her balcony when her skylight opened, "I thought I heard you kitty."

"Sorry, did I wake you up princess?" He asked, pulling her into his arms, as she stood tall.

She let out a deep breath, relaxing almost instantly in his arms, "No, I just barely got my parents to let me come back upstairs. Principle Damocles called and told them the situation. We are all going in for a meeting in the morning at school, but they are letting me take the rest of the week off to rest."

He hugged her tighter, "You deserve it. Are you going to be okay going face to face with her again?"

"Lila's not going to be there. She's been expelled, indefinitely. Her mother had no idea what was going and was furious apparently. Her mother will be there at the meeting in the morning, but she wanted to make sure that I knew that Lila was going to be traveling with her while being home-schooled. She's not even going to stay in Paris kitty. She's leaving. She's really leaving."

He heard her start sniffling and buried his nose in her hair, "Thank the lucky Ladybugs." He kissed the top of her head before telling her, "Everyone is dying to apologize to you."

She rested her head over his heart, "I need some time."

"I told them. I'm sure we'll hear about your, temporary leave, tomorrow after the meeting but," he pulled her away from him slightly so he could look her in the eyes, "It's over bug. She can't hurt you anymore."

The weight of the past few months lifted off of her shoulders as she cried her relief into his chest.

It was over.

It was really over.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Yes there was another reveal guys. I know, I know, reveals, all over these one-shots, but that's what I want so I'm going to keep writing them until we have something canon okay! I can't help it! I don't just want it, I NEEEEEEEEED it! And who knows, maybe something I write will be close to canon?! *swoons in hope***

**Also, deepest apologies for the somewhat sudden ending. If I kept going, I was going to have to admit one-shot defeat and write chapters. *Sigh. I tried to stop, honest I did. It was brutal. So sorry.**

**As always feel free to review and comment if you want! More will be coming soon so don't fret!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	5. Friends in Very Unexpected Places

**Hey everyone! No notes this time, on with the show!**

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows!**

**Also I do not own the characters (as usual) just the plot! ^-^ Enjoy!**

**Day 5 - Friends in Very Unexpected Places**

* * *

Chat Noir grabbed his side, falling to his knee as Ladybug leaned against the alley wall where they were hiding. She was trying to get her legs to stop shaking.

"M'lady," he groaned as the pain flared, "This isn't working. What are we going to do?"

Ladybug was taking labored breaths, sliding to the ground next to him, "I, I don't," she didn't know. She was out of ideas. They had been fighting this akuma since early this morning. Plan after plan they had tried, and plan after plan had failed.

There was something different about this akuma. Its powers were strange and changing, and it was fighting as though on instinct and without direction.

Anything new they tried backfired, as if it had begun adapting to their advances. It was starting to predict their movements, catching them in the air or blocking them before they could land a real hit.

She didn't know how they were going to defeat something like that. They had both already re-charged seven times today. The other miraculous holders had been a big help for a while, giving them the time to recharge, but even they were out of commission now. They had all turned to stone by the monsters gaze, another issue they were now trying to work around – fighting a monster while avoiding looking into its eyes.

"Bugaboo?"

She felt the tears falling down her face as she turned to him, seeing how tired he was, and seeing the pain his body was going through in his eyes.

It was all her fault. All because she didn't know what to do.

"I'm sorry kitty I," she hiccupped and he pulled her to his chest, hugging her tightly as he closed his eyes.

He knew. He knew in his heart that they had been scraping by for a while now. It had been all they could do just to keep people safe. The streets had been cleared for hours, but the statues that littered were a constant reminder of their constant failure. Their strength had been pushed past its limits. They were running on fumes that weren't going to last much longer.

He whispered it shakily, her tears said it all, "We can't win, can we?"

She closed her eyes and buried her face in his shoulder. She hated this. She hated that the words were coming out of her, "No, I don't think we can."

He held her tighter, feeling her shaking in his arms.

They had never felt more unworthy to be heroes than this moment.

Neither of them noticed the two purple butterflies fluttering near them, drawn to the duality of their despair.

One flew into the Ladybug earrings, the other into the Black Cat's ring.

They stiffened at the same time, hearing his voice clearly, "Ladybug and Chat Noir. Even I must say, you took longer to give up than I was giving you credit for. Consider me impressed."

They could feel him in their minds, but Chat snapped first, "Get the hell out of our heads! We'll never give you our Miraculous!"

"Quiet down you mewling alley cat. The fight for your Miraculous will have to wait."

"You expect us to believe that?" Chat said still angry, Ladybug touching his face gently to try and keep him calm.

"Don't you think that if I wished to akumatize you for my own gain, I would have by now?" Hawkmoth snapped irately.

Ladybug said it quickly, confused by the tone in his voice. He had almost sounded, relieved, that he had been able to find them, "You wanted us to give up, so you could send the akuma's to us, why?"

They could both feel his hesitation, but he said it calmly, "The akuma you are fighting, was created differently than the others. Mayura used an amok to enhance the akuma's power before it took over, and the reaction was adverse. It is no longer responding to my demands."

Chat huffed, "No shit."

"Chat." Ladybug scolded lightly, Chat looking at her remorsefully. The last thing she needed was to be facing an akumatized Chat Noir, and he knew it.

They could practically feel the smirk on Hawkmoth's face, "The bug has you wrapped up nicely doesn't she kitten?"

Chat growled a threatening sound in his chest and Ladybug asked Hawkmoth sternly, "Why did you send us the akuma's?"

They heard his anger underneath his reason, "This akuma needs to be stopped, and with the other holders out of commission, you two are the only chance left. If you give up, it will run wild and no one will be able to stop it. I needed you to give up so the akuma's would take, so that I could tell you not to give up." He said it evenly, "I'm offering you my help as a holder."

Ladybug and Chat Noir stared at each other in complete shock.

He kept going, hearing their thoughts, "You are both right. Trusting me is the wrong move on any other day. I will have your miraculous for my own, but the problem at hand takes precedence. To defeat this akuma you are going to need help and unfortunately, our only options are each other."

Ladybug held Chat's eyes, telling him the truth, "I'm out of ideas kitty. If we go much longer this way,"

"Something worse may happen to one or both of us." He said knowingly, and subtly sending his hatred towards Hawkmoth so that he knew how much he didn't like the fact that he was in his head at all.

They held gazes until they nodded at each other.

Ladybug told Hawkmoth, "Until this akuma is defeated, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Chat cut in instantly, "But after this, you don't send out an akuma for two months."

Hawkmoth didn't hesitate, "A week."

"Six." Ladybug responded.

"Two." Hawkmoth replied.

"Four." Ladybug and Chat Noir said together.

Hawkmoth hesitated before responding, "Fine. Four weeks, you have my word."

They felt their power as it began increasing, healing their wounds, bring the ache out of their muscles. Hawkmoth was telling them, "Ladybug and Chat Noir, I grant you the power to manipulate energy. Use it to replenish your strength, make you stronger, and use your powers limitlessly. Use it to defeat this akuma, and end this madness. Your minds will remain your own."

They couldn't believe they were saying this, knowing they needed to accept his powers, "Yes Hawkmoth."

A purple cloud of magic washed over them, but they didn't feel like much changed. As the cloud disappeared, the only thing different about Ladybug was that her spots had gone from black to white. The front part of Chat's chest, his boots, and his claws had all turned white too.

Chat was turning his claws back and forth, "White. Figures."

Ladybug rolled her eyes, but felt a surge of confidence go through her. She grabbed Chat's hand and smiled, "Ready kitty?"

Chat smiled, feeling the same confidence, "Let's go bugaboo."

They took off onto the rooftops, running until they found the akuma. They went in to attack instantly. Ladybug was hit first, but she didn't feel it. Instead she felt a rush of adrenaline and laughed out loud, "Was that supposed to hurt!"

The akuma growled out, seeing her standing tall. Chat attacked from behind, caching the akuma's large fist. He instantly understood why she was smiling like that. He didn't feel any of the pain he did before. In fact, he felt great, as if the hit had overpowered him.

They did this for a while, watching the akuma get more and more frustrated that they were relentlessly attacking now. They weren't trying to avoid getting hit, and could feel themselves getting stronger.

Ladybug saw the blue beam suddenly building in its mouth that had caused people to freeze over. She had been avoiding that attack, but as it came towards her, she ran and took it head on. The power rush was instant, and she could feel it moving through her, "Hawkmoth, can I redirect an absorbed power?"

He said it like it should have been obvious, "I gave you the power to manipulate energy for that reason girl."

She rolled her eyes, "I was just asking."

"Watch how you are talking to my lady you old Moth!" Chat said angrily, wrangling with the akuma. He had managed to get his baton underneath the akuma's neck, trying to use it to control its movements. It was keeping the akuma steady at least, and he was able to keep a firm grip unlike the last time he tried.

"Who do you think you are calling old child!" Hawkmoth said annoyed.

"Chat, get some distance!" She called suddenly, interrupting their back and forth before it could go on.

Chat jumped off of the akuma's back as she twirled her yo-yo, willing the power to converge there. The akuma lifted a passive paw and she threw her yo-yo, watching it wrap around the paw. She drew it down hard, the akuma tumbling head first into the ground. It was starting to frost over, freezing its leg in that position.

Chat told her quickly, "BUG I SEE IT!" He jumped back onto the akuma's back and went straight for it's neck. "Cataclysm!" He slammed his fist into something on the akuma's back and she watched with tears in her eye as the akuma appeared.

She purified it with the biggest smile she had ever had, saying it relieved as she released the akuma and amok at the same time, "Bye, bye little butterfly. Bye, bye little feather."

They disappeared into the air and Chat dropped next to her as she called it, "Miraculous Ladybug!"

The ladybugs swirled around Paris, releasing everyone from the akuma's power. They watched as the giant akuma returned to normal, to reveal a small chocolate Labrador puppy.

Chat instantly stepped back as Ladybug rushed up to it, "OH MY GOODNESS LOOK AT YOU!"

She scooped the puppy up in her arms as Hawkmoth mused, "A dog, no wonder it wouldn't listen."

"And why it was adapting. It's just a puppy, it was learning." She said smiling at it, scratching its ears.

Chat warned her, "Don't get attached bug. It has a collar."

She was squishing the soft puppy up against her face, "But it's sooo cuuuuute!"

Hawkmoth and Chat Noir both groaned, thinking it at the same times, "Girls."

"Ladybug! Chat Noir!"

They turned slightly and saw the group of their collective team rushing towards them.

Viperion asked instantly, "Are you two all right?"

Rena noticed first, "What's with the outfit change?"

Chat fist bumped Carapace, before looking at Ladybug. Everyone jumped back, seeing the purple butterfly sigil fall over their friend's faces. Hawkmoth spoke to them firmly, "Enjoy your vacation heroes. The next time we meet, I will have your miraculous."

Ladybug and Chat Noir closed their eyes, saying it evenly, "And we'll stop you."

The akuma's flew out of her earrings and out of his ring. Ladybug purified them quickly and released them. Her spots turned black and the white disappeared from his outfit.

King Monkey asking seriously, "Were you guys,"

"Akumatized?" Pegasus asked.

Tigerlilly asked with a frown, "How did that even happen?"

Ladybug and Chat Noir said it heavily, "It's a long story."

"Just know that this once," Chat said with a frown.

Ladybug said it looking up, "Help came from an unexpected place."

Ryuko crossed her arms, "That was extremely risky."

Manticore nodded, "Yeah, what if he had taken over?"

"Or better yet had figured out your identities?" Rena asked knowing that was another of the bigger problems.

"We knew the risks, but we had to take it." Chat said, looking at his Lady, wondering if she would admit it.

She gave Chat a slight nod, "It was either take the help we needed, or leave everyone to the akuma."

No one said anything, but everyone exchanged small glances understanding what they had meant.

Chat stretched his arms up, his ring starting to beep, "Well, I have to go. Guys you coming? I think we've earned a well deserved vacation." He winked at her, "Right bug?"

She smirked, "I've got the girls. See you guys later."

The guys followed Chat and the girls asked right away, "Vacation?"

She explained what happened with the akuma being fused with the amok, and the deal they had made with Hawkmoth.

"Do you think he'll really do it?" Rena asked when it was just her and Ladybug.

She nodded, "I do, and four weeks is more than enough."

Rena asked curious, "To what?"

She smirked, knowing that Chat no doubt had the same look on his face as he told the guys, "Train, to take Hawkmoth down for good."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! More will be coming soon so don't fret!**

**Feel free to comment and review!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	6. Baking Gone Wrong

**Hey everyone you know the drill!**

**Thanks for all the reviews, favs and follows!**

**Also I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!**

**Day 6 - Baking Gone Wrong**

* * *

"Not a word Nino." Adrien said seriously.

"Dude, you don't have to tell me." Nino said just as seriously.

They were standing in Nino's kitchen, not exactly sure how this happened.

"Not even to the girls." Adrien said quickly.

"Especially to the girls. Do you know what they would do to us? Bro, we'd never live this down." Nino said, too scared to move from where he was standing.

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck and pulled away immediately, pulling raw egg with him, "That's disgusting."

Nino nodded and more flour fell from his head into his face. He blew out and a small dust of flour entered the air.

They had one job. Make scary cookies for the Halloween Party at school tonight. Adrien had actually gotten permission to go, and had been excited to help Nino blow everyone away with their cookies.

They blew it away all right.

Flour covered nearly every surface in the kitchen. Eggs, and their shells, were scattered. Adrien had slipped on one so he was sure that there were eggs running down his back. The chocolate they had been melting on the stove was still smoking.

That's what had started their panic in the first place.

Nino could feel the sugar coating his hands from when he had tried to catch the bag before it could fall over. The large pile at the end of the counter on the floor indicated how successful he had actually been in that endeavor.

"Maybe, Marinette's dad can help us?" Adrien suggested lightly.

Nino said it defeated, "I don't think even he could help us."

Adrien's phone rang and he said it panicked, "It's Marinette. She's called a dozen times already."

"Dude don't answer it!" Nino told him, seconds before his own phone started to ring.

"Oh crap, it's Alya." Nino whispered, his eyes widening as he saw the time, "Dude, we were supposed to meet the girls almost two hours ago to get ready. The party starts in an hour." He whispered, seeing that he had multiple text messages from her and missed calls.

They were dead.

They both denied the phone calls, knowing their girlfriends' wraths were on the other end. They hastily tried to clean up when there was an angry pounding at the door, "NINO LAHIFFE! YOU IGNORED MY PHONE CALLS DIDN'T YOU! IF YOU AREN'T DEAD IN THERE YOU ARE GOING TO BE!"

Nino froze and Adrien looked at him in sympathy. His sympathy changed to horror when he heard her calm voice. Marinette was pissed, "Adrien. If you two didn't really want to go, all you had to do was say so."

Alya said it loudly, "That's right you assholes! Instead of leaving us looking like idiots waiting around for you for nearly two hours without a word!"

They both cringed, feeling even guiltier then before. The girls had planned their costumes weeks ago, and Alya had even been helping Marinette however she could. It was no wonder the girls were so pissed. All of their hard work was practically going to waste.

Alya pounded on the door again, "NINO!"

His shoulders dropped and he looked at Adrien solemnly, "Remember me well buddy, tell everyone that I went out in a feat of glory too magnificent to put into words."

Adrien said it nervously, "No need to worry about that. I'll be right behind you."

Nino said it seriously, putting a sugarcoated hand on Adrien's egg covered shoulder, "You're the best bro anyone could have asked for."

Adrien nodded, returning the motion, "You're the only bro I could have asked for."

Nino took that first step towards the door, like an inmate on death row, walking to his demise.

Adrien was glad he couldn't see the girl's reactions from here. He was surprised that they were silent.

Short and sweet. That's how they were going to go.

That was a mercy in itself. Quick. Painless. And at the hand of the girl who had stolen his heart.

He heard footsteps and saw Nino frowning slightly, the girls on either side of him.

Alya was dressed as a female version of Carapace, a perfectly replicated green shield on her arm. Only there were cracks in her shield, and her hair was a wild mess. She looked like she had been cut all over her visible face, and there was a tear in the mask. An axe was sticking out of her side.

Marinette was in a full female Chat Noir ensemble, but more like his version of the suit than how it had looked when she wore the ring. She even had green cat-eyed contacts in. He noticed she even had a small silver tube at her back. He was staring a little in horror honestly. Instead of the suit being black, it was white.

She was the near-vision of Chat Noir perfection otherwise, and he was an egg-covered mess.

He couldn't look away from her, almost no expression on her face as her gaze moved to the mess behind them.

The girls looked at each other before busting out laughing, doubling over and grabbing at their stomachs.

Nino closed his eyes in pain, and Adrien sighed heavily, both of them blushing heavily. Of course death would have been too easy. It would have let them off the hook far too soon.

Marinette was grabbing the end of the couch with a clawed hand, "Oh god, oh god you guys, you guys are adorable."

Alya was wiping her tears carefully as she tried to pull herself together, "Wh-what were you two hoping to do? All you had to do was make two dozen cookies!"

The girl's smiles wouldn't leave their faces. Alya started dusting Nino off as Marinette walked up to him, putting her hands on either side of his face, "Oh mon amour. I'm sorry I'm laughing." She kissed him lightly, grabbing a towel and wiping something off of his face, wet flour no doubt. "What were you guys doing?"

Alya said it in agreement still laughing, "We were really starting to worry that something had happened to you when neither of you answered your phones. An exploding kitchen was the last thing we would have ever thought of."

They tried to explain, "We were trying to make the cookies, but they didn't want to be made." Nino said.

"So we decided to try and make them our own way. It, didn't go well." Adrien admitted, seeing the laughter shining in Marinette's eyes.

"Why didn't you just call us?" Marinette asked, turning him around and wiping some of the egg off of his back.

"Yeah, we would have come to help you. We already took my mini Pizza Ghosts and Marinette's Cauldron punch to school anyways." Alya told them.

"It was our job." Adrien said easily.

"Yeah, we can't expect you girls to do everything." Nino added.

Alya was dusting herself off from the little bit that had gotten on her, "How about you boys go get cleaned up, while we clean up in here?"

Nino told her, "We can do it babe. We are the ones who made the mess."

"Don't worry about it." Alya countered, "You two need to get dressed anyways, Marinette brought your costumes."

Adrien frowned, "What about the cookies?"

She just smiled at him, "I'll get them done in no time. Given how this ended up, we know you guys were trying your best. That's all that matters. As long as they get done, it doesn't matter who does them."

Alya nodded, touching Nino on the nose, "It's the thought that counts, and you guys putting this kind of valiant effort into making something for the party is what counts."

The guys both blushed again and Marinette pushed them, "Go, I know you guys are uncomfortable, being all sticky and eggy. We've got this."

Nino used his parents' shower to clean up while Adrien used Nino and Chris's bathroom. Marinette left the labeled garment bags in Nino's room.

Even though they shouldn't have been given what they girl's outfits had been, they were shocked.

Nino was dressed up in a male version of Rena Rouge's ensemble, right down to the tail and ears. There was even a decorated flute in the bag to go with it.

He couldn't help his smirk. Marinette had nearly replicated his Mister Bug suit, making slight alterations of course. He found a yo-yo and earrings in the bag too. Couldn't forget those could we?

By the time they finished getting showered and changed, Marinette was adding the last touches to the cookies. She was putting red food gel on an almond before adding it to the top of the creepily realistic looking finger cookies. Alya was pressing chocolate kisses into the little green rounds of icing on top of the dark chocolate cookies, making them look like little witch hats.

The kitchen was already completely cleaned up too.

The girls were a godsend.

Alya noticed them walk in first, "Nice. You guys look great!"

Marinette looked up and smiled widely, "Hey, how do they feel?"

"Perfect. You really outdid yourself." Adrien complimented.

"Yeah dudette. These are bomb." Nino said nodding.

Marinette giggled, "Well, it helps that I may have seen the heroes up close once or twice."

The four of them exchanged knowing grins.

"We don't have time to add any gore to your suits, so you'll just have to go as is." Alya said disappointed.

Marinette put down her last cookie and clapped her hands once, "Disaster averted with ten minutes to spare! Let's pack up and get moving."

The guys helped them pack up and they walked out of Nino's house together towards school.

Of course, when one disaster is averted, another usually follows.

A few blocks away they heard the voice, "I am Jack-O-Lantern! I'll make sure everyone appreciates the hard work it takes to carve a pumpkin masterpiece!"

The four of them sighed heavily.

Time to go to work. The party would just have to wait.

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**Thanks for reading! You guys don't know how badly I wanted to write out the akuma fight but this is 'Baking Gone Wrong' not 'Pumpkin Fever'. LOL**

**More is on the way soon so don't fret! Feel free to comment and review as always!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	7. Bizarre Lucky Charm

**Hey everyone! I tried to keep this one under control I really did. I went in saying, focus, you can do this. It will be short and sweet. Just pick a spot and end it. HA! Like that ever works for me. Before I knew it, a tear made itself known, and the fluff escaped everywhere! Now we are over 6,500 words deep. Deepest apologies. '^-^(sort of.)**

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs and follows!**

**Also I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy! ^-^**

**Day 8 - Bizarre Lucky Charm**

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"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug called out.

She and Chat stared at the little neon green stick in her hand, their eyes going wide and saying it at the same time, "A GLOW STICK?"

Chat said it somewhat amused, "Going to brighten our blob's night huh?"

Ladybug scowled at him, asking out loud, "Tikki! What do you expect me to do with a glow stick? Seriously, a glow stick?! A spoon, a fork-sure, a chain, a power strip- hey I can deal with it, lipstick, a fountain pen, bicycle pedals – cool, but a glow stick!"

Chat couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him at his partner's frustration. They both knew that she had no control over the lucky charm that appeared, but Marinette was sure that her kwami did. Yes some of her Lucky Charms were more, inventive, then others, but this one really outshone the others in comparison – yes, pun intended.

"What does your Ladybug Vision tell you?" He asked, trying to get the menacing glare she was shooting at him for laughing out of her eyes.

She huffed and looked around, looking him up in down with a frown before looking down at herself. Her eyes widened and she smacked her hand into her forehead, "You've got some sense of humor Tikki. We are going to talk about this one when we get home."

"I'll make sure everyone knows what it feels like to be ignored, to be treated like a worthless blob!" The akuma yelled out, still shooting large blobs of its black gelatinous self towards anything and everything that moved.

They had already seen the black substance in action. Once it made contact with a person, it consumed them, trapping them inside. If the blobs were touched from the outside, the other person merely got sucked in.

Chat peered over the ledge stealthily, trying to keep an eye on the akuma as he asked, "It's nearly here. I think we should," he turned around and saw Ladybug cracking the now neon-green glowing stick's top so that it's contents were accessible but not flowing all over the place.

"Uh, what are you doing?" He asked confused.

"Give me your hand." She said without thinking, "I need you to mark me."

He smirked, she made it too easy sometimes, "My lady, at least let me take you out on a real date first."

She looked at him confused before she said it hard, "Tomcat."

He grinned wider as he moved over to her, putting his hand to his chest dramatically, "Moi? I'm offended you'd ever think of me in such a way."

"Yeah, I'm sure." She said dismissively, rolling her eyes as she told him the plan, "I need you to draw an X or something on my stomach with the glow stick liquid."

He didn't question it. He dipped a claw into the glow stick and kneeled down, knowing she was going to hate him even more for this if she ever found out what it was. His triumphant grin turned giddy as he 'marked her'.

He used nearly the entire tube of the glow stick's liquid, so it should be more than enough. The small bit he had left on his claw he used to draw the same symbol on her cheek.

"What are you doing?" She asked as he admired his handiwork on her face.

"Only what you asked." He said with a flirty wink.

He was a little taken back by the smirk that she suddenly had, "Okay kitty, then do one more thing for me." She leaned up, his face heating up at how close they were. "Cataclysm me in thirty seconds."

He stared at her wide eyes, "C- cataclysm?"

The attack erupted in his hand and he stepped away from her, seeing her smirk widen seconds before she jumped over the roof's edge.

"LADYBUG!" He yelled, running to the edge of the roof where she had jumped, seeing her landing directly on top of the blobby akuma. She disappeared into its black depths, turning his stomach as it completely consumed her.

He jumped down angrily, wanting to blast the akuma into oblivion, but knowing that Ladybug had to know what she was doing.

The blob was coming straight for him, and he kept it at a safe distance.

Then, he noticed something inside of the blob. A soft green glow.

She was okay.

It made him smirk as the symbol of his cat paw print stood out against the darkness of the blob.

He watched part of it get covered, then was clear, and then get covered again.

He said it to himself, "Impressive m'lady. As always."

He ran towards the akuma and plunged the cataclysm into its form. He felt something get shoved into his hand, seconds later it disintegrated.

The blob melted away, revealing an unconscious guy who had to be close to their age. Ladybug appeared close by on her hands and knees, coughing roughly as the black blob fell away from her.

"M'lady!" He ran over to her and saw the akuma flying away. She stayed sitting as she threw the yo-yo, catching and purifying the akuma before letting off the miraculous ladybug cleanse.

He hugged her tightly and she told him gently, "I'm okay kitty."

"That was dangerous and could have backfired in our faces big time bug." He told her seriously.

She touched the tip of his nose, "That's why I didn't tell you what I was doing. You are too overprotective Chaton."

"I'm not overprotective, but I will protect the things I can't live without." He told her, truth ringing in his serious tone.

She felt the heat rush to her face and she quickly tried to stand, glad for once that her earrings were starting to beep.

She held her yo-yo, but hesitated, the words slipping out of her, "I can't live without you either you know."

He smiled softly, trying to sound nonchalant as he gave her a wink, "I know."

He managed to get an eye roll out of her before she took off, so he counted that as a win.

His ring started to beep and he took off for home, noticing the time. Nino's Halloween party was starting soon. Thankfully the gooey blob of an akuma hadn't taken too much time to defeat.

By the time he got home and changed into his werewolf costume, he was only going to be a few minutes late.

When he walked into the party, he was glad he had chosen a costume with a full mask. He had managed to keep his costume a secret, so no one was hounding him as he walked around – oooh he thought realizing it. Unintentional pun but brilliant nonetheless.

He saw a petite girl with mid-length wavy blue-black hair speaking to a bride-of-Frankenstein Alya. She had a cute laugh. He felt like he was being drawn to her, and moved without thinking.

Alya looked at him with a slight smirk, "Can we help you wolf?"

He smirked under the mask, trying to change his voice slightly, "Just wondering where that beautiful melody came from, then I realized it was a laugh."

He looked pointedly at the girl Alya was talking to. She had a full black, lace Venetian mask on, her captivating blue eyes pulling him closer.

Her voice was sweet, and he saw the fake fangs in her mouth past her dark red lips as she said it smirking, "I don't think vampire's mix well with werewolves."

He touched the studded collar around his neck, "I'm well trained, don't you worry."

She laughed again and Alya rolled her eyes, "Ugh, there is too much flirting going on here even for me. Excuse me. I need to go find my Frankenstein." Alya winked at the girl, "Better make sure a certain buttercup doesn't see you."

The girl scowled at her, "Hey my heart belongs to one person."

He put his hand over his heart, "Can this be true? The heart of the beautiful lady of the night already belongs to another?" He put his free hand to his forehead dramatically, "And here I thought a lone wolf stood a chance."

She giggled slightly and he smiled under his mask, "Who's the Alpha I have to challenge for your heart?"

She smiled, touching the tip of his werewolf nose with a black-nailed finger, "Nice try wolfy, but some ancient secrets are secret for a reason."

The move had him still.

The only person who had ever done that to him was Ladybug.

His heart picked up, this girl, she couldn't be, could she?

Is that why he was so drawn to her?

No. No he was just, jumping to conclusions.

He tried to keep his voice from shaking, bowing at the waist, "Perhaps you'll allow me a dance?"

He saw a blush appear through the Venetian lace as she hesitated. He told her using his normal voice, "Unless you really do have a boyfriend, which I respect. I'm probably overstepping, I'm sorry."

She said it quickly, "No, no I don't. I mean, there is this guy I like but, he's never going to notice someone like me."

He told her quickly, not having to hold back his scowl because of the mask, "Any guy would be lucky to have your heart."

She reached up, patting the top of his head gently, "You're sweet. A flirt, but sweet." She asked, no doubt trying to change the subject, "How do you know Nino?"

He laughed once, "He's my best bro."

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Hmm, interesting. You don't sound anything like his best bro."

Adrien couldn't help but ask as he crossed his arms, "You think you know Nino's best bro that well do you?"

She took his challenge with a smirk, "I know I do."

Adrien was trying to figure out who this girl was. Did she really know him, the real him? And if she did, did he know her?

He asked quickly, "Okay then, why does he hate school?"

She said it easily, "He doesn't. He actually really loves school. He loves being able to be around his friends, knowing that we aren't going to judge him, and that he can be himself without having to act like the model son."

He wasn't expecting that.

She was right.

"Why is Thursday his favorite day of the week?" He asked, knowing that he hadn't even told Nino this. There was no way she could know.

She actually looked away from him, "That's the one day out of the week where he isn't being forced to do something he doesn't want to do. No piano lessons, no Chinese, no fencing. It's the one day he can actually stay after school and hang out with all of us. I doubt anyone else has noticed but, he's always really happy on Thursdays because for once, he's doing something he wants to do."

He felt his shoulders fall.

How did she know? How did she know him like this?

"How do you know him so well?" He asked before he could stop the question from coming out.

She said it somewhat sadly, "I see him, behind the mask he wears most days. How he forces himself to smile, even when he's dead tired from back to back shoots. I see how worried he gets sometimes when he gives his opinion, like people are going to shun him if he speaks his mind."

She looked down, "I see how lonely he is when he is walking to his car to leave school at the end of the day. He always looks back, even if it's just for a few seconds. You can see in his eyes how much he is really hurting, if you actually pay attention."

A soft sigh left her, "I wish I could show him that he isn't alone, and that we'll never stop being his friends no matter what. That there are people out there who will do anything for him, not because they want something from him, but because they truly care about him."

She didn't know why she felt so comfortable talking to a complete stranger about her feelings. He sort of reminded her of Chat Noir, maybe that was why. She could talk to Chat about anything. This guy gave her the same sort of comfortable, familiar feeling.

She looked back up at him and smiled sadly, "I wish I could hug him every day, and show him what unconditional love really feels like."

He asked in shock, "You love him?"

She didn't hesitate for a second, "Since the day he gave me his umbrella."

Umbrella? Who did he ever give…Marinette.

The lights and music going on around them suddenly clicked off, and a few people immediately started groaning.

"What happened?" She turned and started to look around, but it was nearly pitch black inside the house.

Thanks to his night vision leaking into his civilian self, he could see her pretty clearly.

As she turned the other way, he noticed a faint mark on her cheek. He told her, grabbing her hand to stop her from walking away, "Hey, you have something on your face."

She reached up and then said it lightly as he hand dropped, "Ha ha very funny. It's pitch black in here."

"No really, you have something glowing on your cheek. It looks like a," his voice started to break as he realized what it was, "green, cat, paw print."

Her hand flew back to her cheek, "He didn't!"

She said it hard, "Oh he is so dead when I see him. No wonder he couldn't get that stupid smirk off of his face after my marking comment. I'm going to string him up by his tail that little,"

The lights clicked back on, stopping he threat mid-rant. Nino was apologizing to everyone, saying that one of the breaker switches had fallen. The party resumed and Adrien couldn't help but stare at the beautiful girl in front of him.

Marinette was the girl he loved.

And, she loved him back.

He felt like an idiot. The reason Ladybug always pushed him away, was because Marinette was in love with him.

A grin formed on his face. She pushed him away, for him.

Could things get anymore ironic?

Oh wait, they could. Did he forget to mention that he had been pushing down his crush on Marinette for months, because of Ladybug?

There it was. That was the irony come full circle.

Or square rather, yeah. A love square. That's what he was going to call it.

Or Hell. That was another word for it too.

"So," she turned back to him, "Think I don't really know Nino's best bro?"

He reached up and gently cupped her face, seeing her eyes widen, "Actually, you're probably the only person who does." He let go and stepped back, telling her softly, "And he does see you bug. He always has. He was the one who thought that someone as beautiful as you, inside and out, would never see him."

Marinette's voice was shaking, "How can you know what," she stopped, blinking rapidly before asking, "Did you just call me bug?"

Only one person, one person in all of Paris, called her that.

When the werewolf in front of her went still, she knew it was true. Chat Noir was underneath the werewolf mask.

"Adrien, why didn't you let me know you had gotten here dude? Your costume looks legit! You can't even tell it's you!" Nino touched his shoulder and he flinched.

Chat was out of the bag now.

He looked at Nino, "Sorry, I found the girls first."

Marinette was staring at him in horror, shaking her head, "You're not,"

He watched with pain in his heart, as her eyes got glossy. Reluctantly, pools swimming in her eyes, he pulled his mask off.

They stared at each other, both of them too reluctant to speak.

Her tears fell as he whispered her name, "Marinette,"

She took off past him without a word, heading straight for the front door, "Marinette!" He dropped the mask and went after her, not caring that everyone was looking between them now in various states of shock.

He immediately looked up when he got outside, seeing a flash of red disappear onto the rooftops.

"Oh no you don't." He said quietly, rushing towards the alley to transform. He was after her in seconds, knowing he would catch up quickly.

He was starting to close the gap, and had her in his sight when he called out to her, "M'lady wait, please!"

She lassoed another chimney and hurled herself forward. She was going home.

He picked up speed and darted to the side, trying to overtake her so he could intercept her landing before she locked him out for good.

He managed to pull ahead of her at the last second, tackling her to the ground before she could leap across the distance to her balcony. He held her protectively, using their momentum to roll across the rooftop until his back slammed hard into the low wall.

He groaned out but refused to lose his grip.

She struggled to get away from him and he held her tighter until she finally gave up, sobbing into his chest.

His hold went from restraining to comforting, telling her softly, "I'm so sorry. I swear I didn't mean for that to happen."

He tried to explain while he had the chance, "The paw print was a joke. I thought it would disappear with the cleanse. I never thought it would actually lead me to you, or I never would have done it. I know your identity is important to you and," he closed his eyes as he leaned into her, "I've ruined everything, haven't I?"

She didn't respond for a while, but she stopped trying to move from where they had landed.

When her crying was under control, and her breathing evened out, she told him softly, "No. You didn't ruin anything."

They sat up, but he refused to let her put any distance between them. He kept his arms firmly wrapped around her, afraid of what could happen if he let go.

He asked shakily, "Did you mean what you said earlier?"

"About stringing you up by your tail?" She asked instantly.

He wanted to shrink into himself, but decided to ask a different question, "Are you, disappointed that it's me?"

She finally made eye contact with him, saying it shocked, "Disappointed? No I'm not disappointed." She caressed the side of his face, a shy smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Then, why did you rush out like that?" He asked confused.

Her hand fell and she looked down, sniffling again, "Because you are Adrien."

He still didn't understand, "Does that mean something?"

She looked up at him like he was crazy, "Of course it means something! It means everything you crazy Chat! I've been losing my mind trying not to fall in love with you because I was already in love with Adrien! But I was trying," she started sobbing again, "to let you go. I want you to be happy! I didn't care how miserable it made me because it was all my fault anyways! I kept pushing you away as partners, and then the day I decide to let you in, you stop, you stopped calling me," she buried her face in her hands.

"M'lady." He whispered, his heart breaking.

"And none of it matters anymore. I did this to myself." She sniffled again, "Of course, the one time I actually manage to tell you how I feel, and now it doesn't even matter because you are dating Kagami. I knew someone like me never stood a chance with someone like you. It was a stupid fantasy and I was ridiculous for ever thinking you would even see someone as invisible as m-,"

He kissed her as hard as he could, stopping her downward spiral and not knowing how else to convey his feelings to her.

When she started to kiss him back, he pulled her flush up against his chest, deepening the kiss. Hoping she understood, even a fraction of what words would fail to explain.

Her fingers suddenly entangled the ends of his wild mane, giving him a sensation that sent chills down his spine. Her sweet warm sugar, fresh bread, scent overwhelmed his heightened senses. It was the smell of comfort, of being safe. She was the only person who had ever made him feel that way.

She had a subtle strawberry taste to her lips he realized. He was never going to be able to have strawberries without thinking back to this moment. It was taking every ounce of limited restraint he had left to keep from digging his claws into her back to pull her closer. His overwhelming love for the girl in his arms caused his heart to fly into overdrive.

He lifted her up slightly when she shifted, so she was sitting more comfortably in his lap. Her knee's going to the outside of his hips naturally.

His hands moved down her back slowly, and she arched up, kissing him more passionately as she moved her hands to his shoulders.

Their world enclosed around them, cutting off everything, as they got lost in each other.

The world around them, didn't exist at all.

There was her, and there was him.

There was the love between them that had been tested over and over again, and prevailed despite its twists and turns.

They finally pulled away from each other, only from the shear overwhelming need for air. Chat rested his head against her chest, hugging her tightly as her arms wrapped around him.

Neither of them moved or said anything for a few seconds while they tried to catch their breath.

Ladybug started to move first, untangling herself from his arms. He looked up instantly, seeing her turning away from him.

He was on his feet in seconds, hugging her from behind, "Please don't go."

She put her arms over his, her voice shaking, "That was a mistake. You, we can't,"

Chat turned her to face him, staring into her sad eyes, "Don't ever think that. It wasn't a mistake. It was the truth, the truth we've been denying all this time."

She looked away and he caressed the side of her face gently, gently forcing her to look at him, "M'lady," he whispered lovingly, smiling slightly as the tears filled her eyes again, "You are the only girl who has ever had my heart. Please believe that."

She said it softly, "You're with Kagami."

He kissed her forehead, "No, I'm not."

She looked up at him in shock and he explained, "We went out once as a real date, and the whole time it felt, wrong. I was waiting to feel something, anything, but it wasn't the same."

She looked confused, and it made him smile that she didn't understand.

"I wanted to feel my stomach flutter when she walked into the room. I wanted my heart to try and barrel through my chest when she looked at me. I wanted to smile, simply hearing her laugh."

He grabbed her hand and held it to his chest, "I wanted to feel safe when she hugged me, and take comfort in knowing I didn't have to be anyone but myself."

He kissed her hand, "But more than anything, I wanted her to smile at me in that way that only she does, so that I knew without a doubt all over again, that I was in love with her."

Tears were falling down her face, and he wiped them away gently.

"You're hopeless Adrien." She said teasing, even though her voice cracked.

He needed to see her smile again, "Hopelessly in love with you."

She looked up at him, a smile finally showing itself, "Couldn't help yourself could you?"

He grinned, "No idea what you mean. Marinette," he had to know, "would you do me the esteemed honor, of being my girlfriend?"

She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his shoulder as she said it happily, "Yes."

He hugged her tighter, never wanting to let go.

She leaned up suddenly, giving a feather light kiss to his lips. His entire body felt like it was on fire from that one, soft kiss.

"W-what was that for?" He asked shakily.

"You're my boyfriend. I can kiss you whenever I want to. Can't I?" She asked, smiling brighter now.

His heart swelled, "Absolutely."

She giggled, "Do you want to go back to the party?"

He told her the truth, "Not really, but, I'm sure Alya is going to kick my ass at school tomorrow if she doesn't see that you are okay."

She took his hand and they headed back to Nino's. The soft, somewhat mischievous smile she got halfway there never left her face.

They dropped into the alley near his house and undid their transformations, walking hand in hand back to the party.

At the front door, Marinette leaned up and kissed his cheek, making his stomach flip in joy as he asked through his smile, "Is this what it's like having a girlfriend?"

"Absolutely." She said easily before going inside. He followed her without question, not caring that people were looking at him weird as he passed by. He probably looked like a lovesick puppy, and he didn't care one bit.

She headed straight to Nino and Alya, who was texting rapidly on her phone. Nino's eyes widened as he looked between them in silence.

"Hey guys." Marinette said.

Alya stopped texting, her head snapping up, "There you are! I've been trying to text and call you for nearly an hour. Are you oh…kay?" Alya was looking between them, but her eyes were on him, somewhat uncomfortably.

"Yes I'm okay Alya. Adrien made me feel better." She told them.

Nino busted out laughing suddenly, grabbing his stomach as he held onto the end of the DJ table, "Oh god, well if there was a doubt before, there isn't anymore."

Alya covered her mouth to stifle her giggle, asking secretively, "Does he know?"

Marinette had a Chat Noir grin on her face, "Doubt it."

He didn't like that, "What's going on?"

Marinette grabbed his hand, "I would have waited until after our first date to let people know we were together, but I just wanted it to be clear." She leaned up and whispered in his ear, "I had to mark my kitty as mine somehow and didn't have a glow stick handy."

He frowned, still confused. Alya stifled a laugh as she held up her phone towards them. He knew he managed to smile before the flash went off, but his smile fell when she showed him the picture.

Perfectly clear, right on his cheek, was a set of perfect lips. They were the same deep red color that was currently being worn by his new girlfriend.

She had marked him, the way he had marked her.

Instead of getting embarrassed, he laughed out loud and pulled her close to her surprise, "If you wanted everyone to know princess, all you had to do was say so."

He kissed her softly in front of everyone, whistling and clapping going on around them.

Halloween was officially their new favorite holiday.

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**Thanks for reading! More is coming soon so don't fret!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	8. Musical Mayhem

**Hey everyone! Here we go again. This one was a riot to write so for all of you musically inclined fans out there, I hope I did you proud!**

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs and follows! You guys make me want to write more and more!**

**Also, I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy! ^-^**

**Day 9 - Musical Mayhem**

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Chat Noir avoided another stream of attacks and said it tauntingly to their musically inclined akuma, "Hey, I thought we could end this fight on a high note, not B Flat."

He had a giant grin on his face, hearing Ladybug's groan from across the roof, but she didn't say anything as she stayed focus on trying to figure out what to do with her lucky charm.

So of course, he kept taunting, "MusiMuse, I'll only meow a serenade to my lady, so you'll have to think outside of the Bach if you really want to hit me." He smirked wider, "After all, I'm just A minor note here."

MusiMuse said it angrily, "Let's see how you feel about this!"

MusiMuse clapped his hands, letting off an extremely high-pitched sound for a single second that completely disoriented him. He fell to his knees, clutching his ears as he groaned.

He said it bitterly, feeling like he was shouting because of the ringing in still in his ears, "Stac-chat-o be kitten me. We cat's have very sensitive hearing don't you know?"

He instinctually grabbed his baton and started twirling it in front of him like a shield, trying to keep the akuma's focus on him. Ladybug was working on something on the roof above them. He needed to buy her as much time as he could.

The akuma grabbed the violin from his back and Chat started trying to stop him from playing. Last time he had, a line of notes had erupted from the violin into the air, detonating like bombs when they made contact with something.

"You sure are trying to give me a lot of treble MusiMuse!" He said as he rushed the akuma quickly, using his baton to block the bow from making contact with the violin.

The akuma smirked, "You thought I couldn't play with just one hand?" The akuma's finger pulled one of the strings, a black note starting to form with a very familiar symbol in front of it.

Chat couldn't help himself. These were just too easy to pass up, "Hey that note is looking a little Sharp there." He braced himself as he said it, "Let's make it Flat instead!" He used his baton to slam the note into the ground, the explosion sending him and the akuma back.

He felt something wrap around his waist mid-air before he was being pulled up. He landed and rolled, ending up perfectly on his knee in front of her, "M'lady, I've come to a rest just for you."

She asked sternly, "You just can't help yourself can you?"

He put a hand over his heart, feigning distress, "My lady, I thought you knew? Puns are my forte."

She smacked him in the arm, just hard enough that he whispered, "Ow." He couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth though, "If only the scale of my pain could fit into a single measure."

She took a hard step towards him and he asked quickly, "So what's the plan bugaboo?"

She pointed over to the music store where the window front was broken from one of the earlier sound blasts. He raised an eyebrow at her questioningly.

She just smirked and he felt a pang of fear as she scratched under his chin, "Play me a song kitty. The most romantic, beautiful song you can think of. You better make me cry," she leaned up so that their lips were barely an inch apart, "Or I won't make you another treat for as long as you live."

His eyes widened at her threat.

A life.

Without another Marinette macaroon. Or Chocolate croissant. Or Éclair.

No scones, no cookies, no croquettes.

He gulped and saluted her, "I won't let you down bugaboo."

He jumped from the roof quickly and made a b-line for the music store while Ladybug kept the akuma's attention.

There was a keyboard in the window display, and he set it up quickly on the sidewalk before testing a few notes with a smile. He knew exactly what song to play.

It was a song he only ever played just for her. One that Luka had helped him write to ask Marinette to be his girlfriend. It had taken a solid two months to make the song perfect, to write a song that told their story.

He closed his eyes and let the song come out naturally. Within seconds music filled the air, and everything around them went silent. He kept his eyes closed, a serious expression on his face as he played the solemn part. The part where he had almost lost her to his own doubt about his feelings, pushing them down because of his love for Ladybug.

He opened his eyes as the song began to reach its end, and he nearly stopped playing. Sparkling golden notes of the song were softly moving through the air. All of the people who had been hiding were standing, either watching him or watching the notes drift around. Even MusiMuse was completely still, admiration on his face.

He finally saw his beautiful lady and smiled lovingly, seeing the tears in her eyes fall as they made eye contact.

MusiMuse said it softly, "That was, extraordinary. For someone so young to have such talent,"

He stood and said it seriously, "We wouldn't have the music we do today without the basics, and if people don't learn to play instruments, it's a talent that will be lost to time."

MusiMuse nodded and Ladybug took a hesitant step towards him, "You aren't alone in thinking that music is an art that needs to be remembered by the next generation."

MusiMuse hesitated before handing over the violin bow to her. She quickly cracked it in half and released the akuma. After she purified it, he asked as he walked up to her, "How did you know that would work?"

She showed him the lucky charm. It looked just like a red spotted good luck charm she had given to him the first year they met.

He smiled, feeling himself blush as she explained, "When I saw it, I knew you were part of the answer, but I couldn't see anything linking it until I saw the music store."

She threw the lucky charm into the air and he wrapped his arm around her waist, "That song always makes you cry."

She smiled at him, "It was the song that changed my life."

Her earrings beeped and she told him softly, "See you tonight kitty."

"See you tonight key to my heart." He said smirking.

"One day, your puns are going to push me too far." She said scowling even though there was amusement in her eyes, already twirling her yoyo and zipping away.

He called after her, "One day, everything will go a-chord-ing to plan bugaboo and you'll see how clef-er I am!"

She called back easily, "Keep dreaming Chat!"

He laughed to himself as she disappeared, now knowing what kind of pain he was in for tonight when he saw her again.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment and review! It keeps me going!**

**More is coming soon so don't fret!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	9. Very High-Stakes Board Game

**Hey everyone! I'm going a little out of order I know, but I saw this one and was like 'INSPIRED'. Also I'm struggling with the day 4 prompt a little. So here is one that's done to tide you over while I catch up!**

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! You guys are the best!**

**Also I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy! ^-^**

**Day 10 – Very High-Stakes Board Game**

* * *

"I don't understand how things turned out this way." Adrien said concerned, staring between Nino and Marinette, locked in death stares across the table.

Alya chuckled, "Yeah well, this is what happens when one has the determination to beat the undefeatable Marinette."

Adrien sighed, but his eyes were on the familiar board between them. This had gotten out of hand really fast.

"Guys it's just a game." Adrien reminded them lightly, hoping to calm them down.

"It's not just a game bro." Nino said quickly, picking up the green dice and holding them in his fist.

"In war, there are no prisoners." Marinette said evenly, a smirk in her eyes that sent chills through everyone in the room.

Alya clicked her teeth as she shook her head, "I don't know why I even bothered suggesting this. I know how these two get."

Nino was still rubbing the dice between his hands as he asked Marinette, "You ready for this? All I need is a lucky seven to beat your six."

Adrien felt the tension in his stomach as Marinette casually leaned her chin on her folded hands, "You're not that lucky turtle boy."

Nino actually groaned out a low sound before closing his eyes, "Come on ladybugs, give me some of your luck."

He threw the dice and everyone stared at the board, watching the dice tumble in slow motion. The first die landed on four. The second was still rolling, but then came to a sudden stop.

Marinette jumped up and put her fists into the air, "SNAKE EYE TURTLE BOY, I WIN!"

Nino thumped his head against the table with a groan, making Alya laugh, "Sorry babe. I know how much you wanted to win."

Nino pointed at Marinette suddenly, "Best two out of three! You have the lucky ladybugs on your side, I demand a re-trial!"

Adrien sighed, "Nino, it's not that big of a deal."

Marinette and Nino said it at the same time, "YES IT IS!"

Alya tossed him back the black dice, taking the orange dice for herself, as Marinette grabbed the red dice and Nino grabbed the green ones again.

"Fine. One last time, and we'll all go in. The same rules apply. The first two to pass GO without landing in JAIL, then the highest throw wins." Alya explained again.

Everyone nodded and he counted it, "One, two, three."

Everyone threw their dice and moved their first positions. They did three more throws, and Alya landed straight in JAIL. She groaned and picked up her dice, "I'm out. I knew I was going to win with that big lead too. It was too good to be true. Fox's are never that lucky."

The three of them threw the dice again on Alya's count, Marinette smirking at him, "Two spaces from JAIL Adrien. I hope your black cat luck holds out."

He winked at her, "Only when you are around bugaboo."

Nino was frantically shaking the dice in his hands, "That's exactly what I mean right there! Go again!"

They threw the dice again, Nino rolled doubles that put him in the lead. Adrien was two spaces behind him, and Marinette was four. Honestly, Adrien didn't care either way who won. He was getting the better end of the deal no matter what if truth be told.

Alya called their count again, "One, two, three!"

Nino rolled six, Adrien rolled three, and Marinette rolled double six's. She passed GO with a flourish and smirked at Nino, "You can still back out now."

Nino looked straight at him, "Come on dude!"

He said it offended, "They are dice Nino. It's not like I can control how they fall. It's all chance!"

Alya put her hand out, "Nope, just go again you two. One, two, three!"

They rolled again and Adrien sighed heavily. Snake-eyes. Nino passed GO and said it in triumph, "You are going down Bug Boss!"

Adrien stood and said it to no one in particular, "I need another macaroon."

Alya told him quickly, "Ooo, grab one for me too!"

He grabbed two macaroons out of the box Marinette had brought to Alya's, handing one to her as Nino and Marinette went back into their stand-off stances.

He told them again, "Guys, the whole weekend is,"

"Shh!" Marinette told him quickly.

"I'm trying to save you bro! You spend every extra minute you have with Marinette and her reign of terror has to come to an end." Nino said protectively as he picked up his green dice.

Marinette picked up her red dice, tossing them in the air lightly, "You know what I'm feeling turtle boy?"

Nino glared at her as she said it, "Lucky."

They threw their dice at the same time and Adrien smirked slightly at the clear outcome.

Alya said it firmly, "Marinette seven. Nino five. Marinette wins best two out of three."

She stood happily and danced in a small circle, finally pointing at Nino as though she was a triumphant warrior purrincess, "That's right! DATE NIGHT IS MINE YOU BOYFRIEND STEALER!"

Adrien chuckled, putting his arm around her waist, "We were going out Saturday no matter what you know."

Marinette winked at him before saying it, "But now you are mine for all of Saturday, and the bro-squad will just have to wait until next weekend to try and kidnap you."

She kissed him lightly and it sent his heart into a fluttering frenzy as he smiled at her lovingly.

Nino was banging his head on the table again as Alya patted his back, "A whole week. We have to wait another whole week now. This is going to blow. The guys are going to kick my ass."

Adrien tried to comfort his best friend, "You tried your best Nino."

"Your girlfriend just ruined the bro's weekend dude! We can't have bro-time without you!" Nino grumbled loudly in his defeat.

Marinette stared at Nino hard, "This is the weekend of our six month anniversary Nino. You weren't getting Adrien no matter what you tried."

Nino told her quickly, "It is also Adrien's birthday on Sunday dudette! You can't have him to yourself all weekend."

Marinette said it wickedly, "Try me."

Alya intervened quickly, "Babe, it's going to be all right trust me. Besides, you sure are putting a lot of effort into not hanging out with YOUR girlfriend this weekend."

Nino visibly stiffened, and Adrien felt for him, subconsciously pulling Marinette closer to him.

"No, that's not it at all. You know I love you Als." Nino said quickly.

Alya huffed, crossing her arms even as she smiled, "I don't know. I feel like your bromance is more important to you than I am."

Adrien and Nino exchanged small glances before Nino said it defeated, "Next weekend then, for sure."

Marinette smirked at him, kissing him longer this time before pulling away and telling him, "Happy early birthday kitty."

Adrien smiled a Chat's grin, "You mean it?"

She nodded, rolling her eyes, "Yes. I know you want to."

He lifted her up and hugged her tightly, "You are the best girlfriend in the world."

She poked him in the chest once when he set her down, "You better at least meet me for lunch or so help me I will tie you to the top spire of the Eiffel Tower and leave you there."

He held up two fingers and told her seriously, "Chat's honor." He kissed her forehead and Nino looked between them shocked, "You mean it, Marinette?"

She nodded, "Yes. He told me how you guys had been planning this weekend with the guys." Her smile turned into a smirk, "I just wanted to burst your bubble a little for stealing my date night."

Alya laughed, "The girls decided to get together Saturday night since the guys were going to be together for Adrien's birthday, so no harm done."

Nino looked at the girls in fear, "You two are scary. You had it all planned out already and still made this out like it was an all or nothing game."

Marinette said it easily, "If I lost,"

"Which was highly unlikely," Alya added.

"I was going to pull off the ultimate girlfriend defense." Marinette said, her and Alya exchanging knowing mischievous smiles.

Adrien and Nino asked at the same time, "Which is?"

Marinette and Alya said it at the same time, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

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**Thanks for reading! Like I said, I know I'm out of order right now but hopefully in the next few days I'll be caught up and running current with the prompts. Once that gets done the chapter orders will follow the prompt order and we'll be on track full speed ahead so don't fret!**

**As always feel free to review and comment if you'd like!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	10. Weird Kwami Meals

**Hey everyone! Here's another one for you!**

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs and follows!**

**Also, I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!**

**Day 11 - Wierd Kwami Meals**

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"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Adrien knew he had to have heard Plagg wrong.

Plagg groaned, holding his nose closed with one paw and his stomach with the other, "Ugh, don't you listen?" Plagg said nasally, "Close the fridge door and get that disgusting smell away from me."

Adrien put the Camembert away and closed the fridge, going back to his kwami who took a dramatic breath in, "That odor is fierce."

His eyes narrowed, "Okay, what is going on? You love Camembert. You love its disgusting stench. Why is it suddenly bothering you now? Are you sick?"

Plagg rolled his eyes, "No I'm not sick. I warned you that this was going to happen."

Adrien said it loudly, "You didn't warn me about anything!"

Plagg hovered lazily in the air, "That doesn't sound like me."

"That sounds EXACTLY like you. Stop trying to change the subject, what is going on?" Adrien pressed.

Plagg said it like it didn't mean anything, "Today is a millennial anniversary of the creation of the miraculous. Of the miraculous from my box, I have to eat the things that the other kwami's like, or I cease to exist or something. I stopped really paying attention when Tikki started getting all serious."

Adrien grabbed Plagg out of the air and asked in shock, "You'll cease to exist! That's kind of important Plagg!"

Plagg looked at him bored, "Key words there, 'kind of important'. Relax, the other kwami's don't have the delicate, sophisticated palette that I do."

Adrien let Plagg go and asked immediately, "What do you need for this, weird meal?"

…

Marinette proudly walked up the steps back to her room, a bright smile on her face. A millennial anniversary of the creation of the miraculous was today. Tikki had told her about it days ago so she could prepare.

Kwami's shared a special bond, and on this day, that bond was reinforced by the kwami's consuming the favorite treat of the other kwami's from their box. The side effect was that for twenty-four hours, Tikki would be completely put off by the thought, sight, or smell, of anything sugary. This day wasn't about her and what she liked, but about the other kwami's and what they liked.

It was a way to remember their fellow kwami's, no matter how far apart they were or what they were going through. The simple act of consuming at least one of each favorite treat reignited the core of the kwami's powers.

In Marinette's opinion it was weird, but Tikki told her it was an ancient tradition and very important. So, she went with it.

Even Hawkmoth would have to adhere to the 'feast' of this day, or Nooroo's powers would begin to weaken until he simply ceased to exist.

Tikki warned her that this wasn't as simple as fading out of existence. The loss of a miraculous was devastating and greatly affected the world. When she asked how, Tikki's only explanation was to ask her, "Ever wondered what happened to Atlantis?"

Marinette immediately stopped asking questions after that. She didn't even WANT to go into detail about how the two were linked. The point was, Tikki had to eat fifteen different treats to represent the fifteen other Miraculous from her box.

Marinette entered her room and held up the bag, "Let the feast begin!"

Tikki smiled at her brightly, "You managed to find everything well enough?"

Marinette nodded, "Most of it. There is one thing I just couldn't get my hands on. Every store I went to was completely sold out until further notice, apparently there was a recall on it so I had to improvise."

Tikki shook her head, "That's okay, I'm sure whatever you brought will work. I'm sorry I couldn't go with you. The smell of the bakery is making me nauseous."

Marinette told her quickly, "No Tikki don't be silly. You don't have to apologize. Just think in less then twenty-four hours, you'll be back on your sugar high."

Tikki visibly cringed, holding her stomach, "Let's not talk about that right now."

Marinette nodded and started pulling things out of the bag, "A parsnip, apple slices, butter crackers, fresh spinach, banana bread, hibiscus flowers, black corn, brown eggs, a piece of uncooked steak, dragon fruit, crispy bacon I made this morning, chestnut honey, a sour plum, and I even found the Silage you told me about at the same farmer's market where I found the fresh vegetables and brown eggs!"

Tikki was looking everything over appreciatively until she finally realized what was missing, "The cheese. You, you didn't find the cheese?"

Marinette pulled out a small wedge from the bag, "I found Brie in the fridge, will that work?"

Tikki frowned but tried to stay optimistic, "It should, hopefully. This is great Marinette."

Marinette told her, "I'm glad you told me a few days ago. If I had missed that farmer's market on Saturday I don't know what I would have done."

…

Adrien groaned as he continued looking through the cabinets in his kitchen, glad for once that he and Gorilla were the only ones in the house right now.

"I can't believe you didn't say anything Plagg."

Plagg sat on the large island counter in the center and shrugged, "It slipped my mind."

"How does something like this slip your mind?" Adrien asked, closing another cabinet door after taking down the box of butter crackers and placing it next to the chestnut honey. He started looking in the fridge, having much better luck.

"Okay I can work with this. I can cut up this apple. There is a parsnip and fresh spinach. Thank god, there are brown eggs. Oh, here's a few steaks, but you just need a small piece right?" Adrien asked, grabbing some cooking scissors and cutting off a small piece before putting the rest away.

He placed it on a napkin so it wouldn't bleed on the countertop. He looked over the assortment and asked Plagg, "This is most of it right? What am I still missing?"

"Hibiscus flowers, black corn, sour plums, crispy bacon, dragon fruit,"

"Oh, there was dragon fruit in the fridge." He turned around and grabbed it, keeping a mental note of the things Plagg kept listing, "Silage, banana bread, and a strawberry macaroon."

"The last two are easy, and I get to make a trip to see my beautiful girlfriend." Adrien said happily, ignoring Plagg's fake silent gagging, before asking, "Where am I supposed to get Silage? The nearest farm is hours away, I would never be allowed to go."

Plagg shook his head, "Don't ask me."

Adrien watched as slowly Plagg ate piece after piece of the food he had put out for him. He noticed that with each piece Plagg picked up, a soft colored light would appear around the food item as Plagg was eating it.

It must have something to do with the Miraculous bond replenishing that Plagg reluctantly told him about.

As Plagg finished a butter cracker, he said it carefully, "You know, your girlfriend is always willing to help you out. Maybe she can help you find the last few things."

"I seriously doubt that. The thing I'm most worried about is the silage. What if we can't find it?"

Plagg was still annoyed that his holder had started dating Marinette and that they hadn't revealed themselves to each other. This could all be so much easier.

"Ladybugs kwami has to do this too you know." He said hoping it would trigger something.

Adrien perked up slightly, "Of course! She is sure to have everything." He transformed quickly and sent LB a message about the silage problem. She responded within minutes, saying that she did have some and would meet him in about five minutes if he wanted.

He jumped at the chance and took off to one of their usual rooftop meeting spots. She had a small container in her hand when she arrived, smiling brightly, "You are a life saver LB."

She giggled, "Ladybug Express at your service." He popped open the container and frowned slightly, "Wow that stinks. Almost as bad as my kwami and his disgusting cheese."

She blinked quickly, "Wait, your kwami is the one that eats cheese?"

He nodded, "Camembert, and strictly Camembert. He refuses to eat anything else."

She face palmed, "Damn, that means the Brie won't work."

He smirked, "Plagg looks at brie like it's an abomination, like it offends him and his precious Camembert."

She asked quickly, "You wouldn't happen to have extra would you? It has been recalled from most major shops and the small ones are sold out because of the recall."

He smiled at her, "I buy from outside of Paris and have it shipped in. Plagg likes the expensive, extremely pungent Camembert. Let me run and grab you some. He eats like a glutton so I have plenty stashed away for him. Wait here for a minute?"

She nodded, "No problem."

He dashed home and grabbed a wedge of cheese. He placed it in one of the tins he used, wrapping it neatly with a green ribbon, and leaving quickly. LB was sitting one the rooftop waiting for him, standing as he flipped and landed gracefully a few feet from her.

She rolled her eyes, smirking, "Show off."

He chuckled under his breath, "Here you go."

She took it, opening it and immediately held it out away from her, "Wow, that's," she cleared her throat, "strong."

She took a hesitant breath and said it curiously, "I swear my boyfriend has a cologne that has this smell in it. I couldn't ever place it before, but I'm sure this is it."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "You mean he willingly smells this way? That's gross LB."

She smacked his arm, "It's just an undercurrent smell. He doesn't smell disgusting like this at all. Don't be mean Chat."

He held up his hands in surrender, "Okay, okay." He said it lightly, "At least my girlfriend doesn't smell like moldy cheese at all."

"CHAT!" She scolded, putting her hand on her hip and making him laugh.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself. But speaking of our significant others. Have you told him yet?"

She sighed, "No. I want to, I hate lying to him, but he is very understanding. Sometimes I think he gets suspicious,"

"Like when the lies are so ridiculous she shouldn't believe them but does anyways. I get that. I want to tell my girlfriend too, but,"

They shared a knowing, worried, look. They would be the biggest targets Hawkmoth could use against them if anyone found out. Ladybug and Chat Noir had told each other right away that they had decided to date someone outside of the mask, but neither of them knew the truth. It was still too dangerous, especially with Hawkmoth releasing more and more akuma's all the time.

They smiled at each other sadly, "One day."

Ladybug nodded, "Yeah. One day."

They said it at the same time.

"I hope she doesn't hate me when she finds out."

"I hope he doesn't hate me when he finds out."

The smiled at each other before hugging each other tightly, "I'll always love you kitty."

Chat laughed lightly into her hair, "I'll always love you too, bugaboo."

The pounded it quickly before separating. They were both glad that their partnership had grown the way it had. They were without a doubt each other's best friend. The one other person in the world who truly understood this double life they lived.

When Chat Noir realized he had been falling for Marinette, and knowing how Ladybug felt about the boy she was in love with, he let himself fall. It was effortless, and Marinette had returned his feelings with no hesitation.

The day Adrien had asked her to go out to dinner with him, just the two of them, Marinette had been so shocked that she had stood there not saying anything.

It wasn't until Adrien started asking if she was uncomfortable with that, that she had broken out of her shock. She had hugged him happily before kissing him without realizing what she had been doing. Of course having him kiss her back just as passionately was answer enough.

Ladybug and Chat Noir had told each other on the same day that they were seeing someone. It had solidified their friendship into something stronger, knowing that the other was happy.

Marinette dropped down in an alley near her house, seeing on her yo-yo that Adrien was calling her cell phone. She answered happily, "Hey Adrien, what's up?"

"Are you at home?" He asked right away.

"I'm heading back right now actually, is everything okay?" She asked.

"Oh no, yeah everything is okay. Sorry I didn't mean to worry you or anything. I was just out and heading over there to get a few things, and to see this beautiful girl who works there." He said with a smirk that Marinette could practically see over the phone.

She giggled slightly, "Should I be worried about this beautiful girl?"

He laughed, "Oh you should be very worried. She took my heart in a flash I never saw coming until it was already hers."

She blushed and rolled her eyes, "You're ridiculous Adrien."

"Says the girl who trips over flat surfaces." He responded teasing.

"Hey I've gotten a lot better about that I'll have you know." She said proudly.

"You look really nice today. I really do love when you wear your hair down like that." He said suddenly.

She looked around quickly and saw him across the street from the bakery, giving her a small wave. She hung up and waited for him to cross, her arms going around his neck quickly before he kissed her softly, "How is your weekend going so far mon amour?"

She smiled, "Better now that I got a chance to see you."

He reached for her hand and she moved the small tin to her other hand so he could. She watched him frown for a second before asking as his eyes widened, "Marinette, w-where did you get that?"

She lifted up the tin, "This? Oh, from a friend. He, uh, wanted me to, try it, yeah. It's an expensive type of Camembert. Weird huh?" She grabbed his hand and moved towards the bakery, as he said it, "Yeah, weird. Can I ask what friend it was?"

She told her parents as they walked up to the counter, "Maman, Papa, Adrien's here."

Tom lifted Adrien up into a bear hug, "There's my future son-in-law! It's been too long since you've come over."

Adrien smiled, "I'm sorry, my father was going out of town this weekend so he had me doing a lot of extra things for him during the week."

Sabine hugged Adrien gently when Tom finally set him down, "Why don't you stay for dinner then? You know we are more than happy to have you here Adrien."

Adrien blushed slightly, "Are you sure? I'd hate to impose."

"Nonsense! Our door is always open for you!" Tom said, pulling Adrien and Sabine into another one of his hugs. Even though Marinette had tried to rein her father in when they first started dating, Adrien admitted that he actually loved how affectionate her parents were, even with him. He knew that was their way of showing love and comfort, and he never got tired of it. He never would.

So Marinette had let it go, only able to smile at how easily her parents loved Adrien, and how easily he loved them.

When her parents finally released Adrien from the hugging fest, she asked as she remembered, "You wanted to get a few things didn't you?"

A strange look entered his eyes as he stared at her, answering somewhat slowly, "Uhm, ye-yes. A slice of banana bread, and four strawberry macaroons."

She got them for him, curious by the random combination. She knew Adrien loved macaroons, but his favorites were Passion Fruit flavored. Why did he suddenly want strawberry instead?– She wondered.

Her parents refused to let him pay for anything anymore, so he took the box with a smile when Marinette handed it to him, "Thank you. Are you doing anything right now?"

She shook her head, "No. Want to hang out for a little bit? I haven't kicked your butt at Ultimate Mecha Strike Four in a while."

He smiled, but she could tell that it was forced, "Sounds great. There is something I need to talk to you about too."

She nodded, worried about the seriousness of his tone. They headed upstairs, her mind ranting uncontrollably about the absolute worst things that could come from this conversation.

They went into her room and Adrien put the box down on her desk before turning to her. He pulled her into a tight hug in silence. They stood like that for a few minutes. Neither of them moving or saying a word. She told him trying not to let her voice shake when she finally couldn't stand the silence anymore, "Adrien, you're scaring me."

He hugged her tighter before stepping back without letting her out of his arms. He was staring into her eyes, a soft, loving smile erupting on his face, "I love you Marinette."

Her eyes widened as her face flushed. Her heart practically stopped, and her brain refused to process those words in that order.

She asked not knowing how else to respond, "I'm sorry, what?"

He smiled a little brighter, saying it again, "I love you Marinette. I love how kind you are, and that you genuinely care about other people. I love the way your tongue sticks out when you are sketching something. I love how your eyes shine brighter than the stars when you laugh. I love how easily you help people, without expecting anything in return. I love how you are strong minded and independent. I love how creative you are, and I love your passion for the things you love."

He pushed a small piece of her hair back behind her hear, "I love your parents and their warmth. I love how open and how close you all are, and that you've let me be part of something so amazing."

She felt the tears that had been building in her eyes fall, "Adrien,"

He smiled brighter but kept going, "I love how you can think on your toes, and how protecting people is a pure instinct for you, even if you could get hurt. I love, how much love you have in your heart." He wiped her tears away with his thumbs and told her, "There is something I have to tell you, but let me get it out okay?"

She asked him, her voice cracking, "That wasn't it?"

He had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "No, but I needed you to know that before I tell you this. I want you to know that my heart is yours. It belongs to you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

She kissed him strongly before telling him what she had been holding back for the longest time, "I love you too Adrien. I really, truly do."

His heart swelled.

He ran his thumb over her cheek again before saying it slowly, "I know you lie to me."

She went completely still and he kept going, "I know you don't want to, but I know you have to. And, I know that you know, that, I lie to you too sometimes."

Her stomach tightened into a dense ball, panic trying to set in. Her heart feeling the truth of what he was going to say next while her brain refused to accept that this was happening.

"That tin with the Camembert, you didn't get from your friend for you. You got it for your kwami." He stated.

Her lip started to tremble as she shook her head, "No, no that's not," she stopped.

He said, kwami.

She stared into his eyes, a flash image appearing over him for a few seconds, making everything click into place.

"Kitty." She whispered shocked.

He simply smiled lovingly, "Bugaboo."

"Oh thank god! I thought you two idiots were never going to figure it out! How are you going to start dating your partner without realizing that it's your partner?! How oblivious can humans really be?" Plagg flew out of Adrien's pocket and was shaking his head at them.

Tikki flew out of her purse and scolded him, "You know the miraculous affects people seeing things too closely, even for holders. It's not their fault Plagg, and besides, they fell in love with who each other really is outside of the mask, that's what is important."

Plagg scoffed, "Yeah, except the year we had to watch them dance around each other, because they were in love with the other's alter ego. They fell in love with each other twice and STILL couldn't see it. I've been so stressed out since the whole scary dragon lady incident, I've had to eat twice as much Camembert just to stay calm."

Tikki rolled her eyes as Adrien asked confused, "Scary dragon lady?"

Marinette knew instantly what Plagg meant, "When you, started going out with Kagami."

Adrien looked guilty, but she told him quickly, "I know, it was just a few dates, but you could never put your whole heart into it. You don't have to explain yourself again."

"I was trying to move on from my first love, if that makes you feel any better." Adrien told her gently.

She frowned slightly and he smirked, touching the tip of her nose lightly, "Ladybug was my first love."

Her smile formed in seconds, "Well, I guess that's okay then." She pulled him closer and admitted it softly, "When I realized I was starting to have feelings for Chat Noir, when you stopped calling me bugaboo and m'lady, I pushed them down because I wanted you to be happy. I knew even though you hadn't said anything that you were probably seeing someone." She hugged him tighter, "When you asked me out to dinner that first time, I was so happy, but I was also conflicted about having accepted because of my feelings for Chat Noir."

Tikki giggled, "You should have seen her pacing back and forth, for hours as she thought about how she didn't want to hurt Adrien or Chat Noir."

Marinette blushed, "Tikki!"

Tikki covered her mouth and Plagg smirked, "That's nothing. Lover-boy over here actually wrote out a list comparing you to yourself, and that's when he realized that the love he felt for one was different then the one he felt for the other. Do you know how agonizing it was to not be able to tell him that he was comparing the same person?"

"Plagg!" Adrien said, his own blush forming.

Plagg just kept smirking, and Marinette told Adrien easily, "I don't hate you kitty."

Adrien smiled, knowing instantly what she was talking about, "I don't think I could ever hate you purrincess."

She groaned, getting a laugh from Adrien, "Oh please don't start."

"Why not bugaboo? You know you love them." Adrien teased.

"I put up with them. There is a difference." She said easily.

Plagg grabbed at his stomach suddenly, "Ugh, I don't feel too good."

Tikki asked quickly, "Plagg, have you had everything you were supposed to today?"

"Well,"

Adrien reached into his pocket and pulled out the small container with the silage before opening the box of sweets, "These were some of the last ones." Adrien looked at Plagg sternly, "You planned this didn't you? You were the one who told me to get in touch with Ladybug, and to ask Marinette for help."

Plagg took a small handful of the silage and ate it quickly with a shrug, "No idea what you mean."

Marinette asked worried, "What do you still need?"

"Black corn, Hibiscus flowers, sour plums, and crispy bacon." Adrien listed.

Tikki shook her finger at Plagg, "You didn't warn Adrien about the anniversary at all did you? Don't you remember what happened last time a kwami abstained from this meal? An entire continent disappeared!"

Plagg said it easily, "Those high and mighty Atlanteans had it coming anyways. Besides, it was Vesuu's fault for refusing to eat the cheese of my choice."

Marinette shook her head and grabbed the container where she had put everything away earlier, laying the items out for Plagg, much to Adrien's relief.

Tikki was eyeing the tin of Camembert warily as Plagg finished everything but the macaroon.

The kwami's exchanged glances and Plagg told Tikki softly as he picked up the macaroon, "Happy anniversary Sugarcube."

Tikki picked up the Camembert and flew over to Plagg, kissing his cheek, "Happy anniversary Stinky Socks."

They ate the cheese and macaroon at the same time, and a rush of power blew out from them.

Adrien and Marinette asked quickly, "What was that?"

Plagg belched and flew straight for Adrien's pocket, "Where are you my gorgeous, smelly love?" He pulled out another piece of Camembert from Adrien's pocket and swallowed it whole, "Oh, oh that's good."

Tikki was already grabbing a macaroon, "Ugh, it's going to take another thousand years to get that horrible taste out of my mouth."

Tikki slowly nibbled on the macaroon while answering their question, "The ritual is done. What you felt was the power settling again. Everything is back to normal," Tikki finished the macaroon before saying it, "well, besides that awful moldy taste I'll never be able to get rid of."

"You are just jealous of my sophisticated palate." Plagg said easily.

Adrien grabbed Marinette's hand, "Earlier, you mentioned something about kicking my butt didn't you?"

Marinette smirked, but a series of sudden crashes outside had them instantly on alert.

"Oh, I'm going to kick your butt kitty, but it sounds like we have a job to do first." Marinette said.

Adrien bowed deeply, smiling his bright Chat's grin, "After you, m'lady."

They transformed and took off quickly. Both of them were silently thanking the universe for the weird treats their kwami's had to eat that day, that lead to them being closer than ever before.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I am working on editing another three prompts so that is my goal for tomorrow! So don't fret! See you soon!**

**As always feel free to review and comment! ^-^**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	11. Opposite Day

**Hey everyone! This one got away from me. My bad ^-^' (Update Note:Minor grammatical and spelling)**

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! Melty camembert hearts!**

**Also I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!**

**Day 12 - Opposite Day**

* * *

The akuma smirked at them as it rose into the air, "Let's see how you handle this one, heroes!"

They both got up from the ground quickly, even knowing that they were going to be too late. Both of them screaming in panic, "NO!"

A flash of scarlet energy radiated out of the akuma, throwing them both back with a vengeance.

Ladybug was the first to start moving, sitting up slowly with a groan as she grabbed her middle, "Ugh, stupid, akuma."

Chat Noir was carefully sitting up next to her, "Agreed. Let's save some time shall we? I'm sure I have better things to be doing."

Ladybug smirked at him in a way that was far too flirtatious, "What, you don't like spending time with me kitty?"

He groaned, "Will you stop calling me that? We need to focus on defeating the akuma before it takes our miraculous."

She frowned before letting out a sigh, "You wound my heart, but you're right Chaton. Hawkmoth and his akuma need to be stopped."

Chat Noir nodded seriously as he called it, "Cataclysm!"

A butterfly sigil appeared over the akuma's face as Hawkmoth yelled angrily, "They are still coming after you. You were supposed to turn them into their opposite selves, into villains!"

The akuma said it as Chat Noir called his attack to his hand, "I don't know what happened, it should have worked."

Chat Noir cataclysmed the ground at their feet as Hawkmoth mused, "Hmm, retreat for now. This power is the key to bringing them down. I'm sure of it."

The akuma barely jumped out of the way before disappearing in a spiral of butterflies.

Chat Noir said it angrily, "Coward."

Ladybug grabbed his arm, "We'll catch him, don't worry so much or you'll wrinkle that handsome face."

Chat Noir looked at his partner and said it sadly, "LB, I've already told you,"

She immediately let go and stepped back, "You have a girl in your heart. I know." She said it holding his eyes, "Am I, not good enough?"

"That's not it." He said quickly, "Any guy would be lucky to have you as his lady."

"Except you." She whispered.

He felt a twinge of guilt in his heart, "Bug, she, she's my everything. I can't imagine how dark this world would be without her. She's brave and kind, caring and beautiful and,"

"And I'm not?" She said upset, "You said she doesn't even see you. That she is always telling everyone that you are just friends." She looked hurt and angry for him, "I love you, exactly the way you are. You don't have to put on a mask with me. No matter who you are underneath, I will love you exactly the same and with my whole heart. Nothing can change that."

For once, he knew she wasn't flirting. She was being completely serious. The tears falling from her eyes pained him, knowing that he was the cause of her suffering. He hated this. He hated that he did this to her.

She asked softly when he couldn't find the right words, "If you didn't love her, would I even," her lip was trembling, "would I even stand a chance?"

His thumb immediately moved towards the end of the baton as he told her the truth he constantly had to force down, "You would be the only one who did."

He vaulted himself into the air away from her, too scared to look back.

…

Marinette sat down heavily with a sigh. Why was that Chat so stubborn? She knew that he had feelings for her. He knew that she was in love with him. So why, why couldn't he see how simple it could all be, how happy they would be if he would just let her in?

She sighed heavily, letting her head fall heavily against her arms.

"Hey girl, he's not even here yet and you are already sighing?"

She glanced over and saw Alya setting her things down, "What are you talking about?"

Alya pointed to the seats in front of them, "Adrien duh. You usually reserve your sighing for when he's here."

She looked at Alya confused, "Why would I do that?"

Alya smirked, "Come on girl. You've only been in love with the boy since you met him."

Marinette said it shaking her head seriously, "I'm not in love with Adrien. He's just a friend."

Alya blinked a few times before laughing, "Ha! You actually said that with a straight face. I almost believed you!"

Marinette frowned at her best friend, "Why wouldn't I mean it? Adrien is just a friend. A good friend."

Alya's laughter immediately stopped and she put her hand to Marinette's forehead, "You don't have a fever." Alya lifted her wrist, "You have a pulse so you aren't dead."

Alya checked her own pulse, "I'm not dead. Am I dreaming?" She pinched her own arm, "Nope, that hurt. Okay, who are you and what have you done with Marinette?"

Marinette sighed heavily, "Don't be so dramatic Alya. There is nothing wrong with being someone's friend."

"ALYA! ALYA! ALYA!"

They both turned to the door to see Nino rushing in, breathing heavily, "I need, talk, right now, SOS. Sailing ships."

Alya was up in seconds and was at the door, pulling Nino out with her as Marinette shook her head. Her friends were so weird sometimes.

…

Nino pointed at him, "It has to be a clone, or invasion of the body snatchers or aliens or,"

Adrien sighed heavily, Alya staring between them, "Can either of you explain what is actually going on?"

Nino told him when he hesitated, "Trust me, you need to tell Alya exactly what you just told me, or she is going to think I'm lying."

Adrien shook his head, "I shouldn't have said anything."

Alya eyed him hard, "Now I'm really curious so spill, what's the big secret?"

Adrien told her seriously, "You have to swear you won't say anything, to anyone. Not even and especially Marinette, deal?"

Alya crossed her arms, "I'm listening."

Adrien felt the blush coming back already, "I," he closed his eyes and just got it out, "I'm in love with Marinette. There, happy?"

Alya's mouth dropped to the ground as Nino shook her arm, "SEE! SEE!"

She finally closed her mouth and then reopened it to yell at him, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO!"

Nino took a step back as Adrien flinched, saying it knowingly, "She doesn't see me that way. You don't have to say it."

Nino busted out laughing, "Dude, you have no idea what,"

"That's exactly what she said to me this morning." Alya interrupted, seeing Nino go into shock.

"But,"

"I have no idea what happened. The only thing that comes to mind is that they must have been hit with that akuma from yesterday, the one who disappeared. He called himself Contraster."

Nino seemed like he understood, "If they were together during the attack, but all that would have done is change their personalities. He still sounds like himself."

"I'm right here." Adrien reminded them.

Alya smirked at him before saying it, "Marinette did too. The only thing different is that she, ugh," Alya said annoyed to no end, "she said that she and Adrien were just friends."

Nino's eyes widened, "That's, but he,"

"Same boat, still sinking." Alya said, shaking her head.

Adrien said it heavily, "I knew it. I knew she would never actually see me."

Nino and Alya both face palmed.

"So, what do we do?" Nino asked the girl who ALWAYS had a plan.

Alya shook her head, "Nothing, I guess. Once Ladybug and Chat Noir purify the akuma and set off the magical Ladybugs, they should go back to normal."

Adrien said it firmly, "The akuma doesn't have anything to do with it. I know where my feelings are, and an akuma can't change that."

Alya looked up, "Why me? Why are you doing this to me? This close, we are this close."

Alya walked out of the locker room muttering to herself and Nino told him, "We should, get to class bro."

Adrien stood and asked Nino again, "You won't say anything to anyone else right?"

Nino put an arm around his shoulder, "Not a word."

They walked to class and Adrien could already feel his heart picking up speed.

The second he saw her he smiled. She must have felt him staring because she looked up from her tablet and waved with a soft smile. Her bluebell eyes shining brighter than the stars in the sky on a clear night. Her hair was reflecting just enough light that he could pick up the subtle hints of blue unique to her. She looked beautiful, as always.

Nino nudged his arm and he realized that she was frowning at him. Something, she had said something to him, "Go-igh, I-I mean, good marinette, morning."

Nino face palmed next to him, "Dude."

Marinette just smiled at him softly, no judgment in her eyes, "Hey Adrien, good morning."

He smiled at her kindness, knowing she wouldn't say anything about how awkward he was.

"Did you have a good weekend?" She asked as he sat down.

"M-me? It was awful, back to back photo shoots. Not that it was all bad, no I mean, I don't mind, it's just tiring after a while. You would love it. I'm sure everyone on set would love you. The photographer's especially. They would kill for a model as gorgeous as you," he stopped, realizing what he said.

Marinette had a small blush on her cheeks as she told him, "Oh, th-thanks, I never thought about modeling really. I'd rather design."

He nodded, "R-right. What was I thinking? You, modeling, that's just ridiculous."

Nino pulled him out of the awkward situation by forcing him to face the front of again. God he was idiot. No wonder Marinette would never see him as more than friends. How could she, when he could barely speak to her?

…

Marinette stared at the back of Adrien's head curiously, "Do you think I did something wrong?"

Alya had her head on the table, "No, no its not you. This is the universe at work, toying with my emotions and the emotions of everyone waiting for this ship to sail, only to have another leak prevent it from taking off. God. Why is this my life?"

Marinette patted Alya's arm, "I'm not sure what you are talking about but, if I can make it better,"

Alya sat up and said it instantly, "Agree to everything that happens in the next five minutes. Blindly and without question."

Marinette frowned, "Oh-kay."

Alya pointed at him, "AGRESTE!"

Adrien jumped slightly and turned to look at her, "G-geez Alya, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Alya said it quickly, "You are free this afternoon aren't you?"

Adrien nodded, "Yes. It's Monday, so nothing major until six. Why?"

"Marinette wants to take you out for ice cream, just the two of you." Alya said smirking.

Marinette and Adrien said it at the same time, "WHAT!?"

Alya looked at her pointedly, and she said it after a second, "Y-yeah I mean, if you want to, that is."

Adrien's face was slowly turning red and she said it quickly, "But if you don't that's fine. It won't hurt my feelings, honest. I know you are busy and don't get downtime as it is so,"

"Yes." Adrien finally managed. "I'd, like that."

Marinette smiled at him, "Oh, good. Then after school?"

Adrien nodded, "After school." He turned back around and practically melted into his seat. Not caring one bit about the crazy look Nino was giving him.

Marinette wanted to go out with him. For ice cream. Like a date! Today could not get better.

Marinette was staring at Alya hard, turning into a full-blown scowl when she saw the smug look on her best friend's face. "What was that?"

Alya patted the top of her head, "You, are going to thank me tomorrow. Trust me."

…

Marinette waited patiently outside, not having to wait long before she saw Adrien nearly tripping on the bottom step towards her. She moved to catch him, but he reversed their positions in a second. He landed hard on his back with her on top of him.

"Oh my god, Adrien are you okay?" She asked quickly, scrambling to get off of him to help him up.

He took her hand and immediately let go, his hand flying to the back of his neck, "Y-yeah. Yeah I was just distracted, but I'm fine. Honest."

She asked a little shocked, "What were you so distracted by?"

Adrien couldn't admit that he was fully and completed distracted by her, and those damn beautiful blue eyes of hers.

"Day dreaming." He said awkwardly.

Marinette said it feeling like he was lying, "Oh, okay. Are you ready?"

"Y-yeah, let's go." He said, trying to contain his excitement, and not pass out at the same time. He let Gorilla drive them to where Marinette found André out and about.

As they got their ice cream, Marinette's eyes widened as André put Adrien's together, "Strawberry with dark chocolate chips. Blackberry for her hair, and blueberry for her far away stare."

Adrien took it, and she was surprised to see that he looked equally as shocked. She guessed it wasn't everyday that one saw an ice cream version of Ladybug.

She was shocked herself when André gave her hers, "Peach for lips, and mint for his eyes. A touch of black coconut, for his mysterious side."

She smiled at her ice cream, seeing her kitty instantly pop into her mind. Not that she could call him her kitty. He'd just deny it anyways.

As they sat on a bench away from the ice cream maker, Adrien asked her softly, "You, look really sad all of a sudden."

She tried to perk up, "No, no its, nothing. Honest. How's your ice cream?"

He had only taken a few bites so far, a guarded expression on his face, "It's good. The strawberry with dark chocolate chips is new. Usually it's just the blackberry and blueberry."

"Oh really?" She asked trying to tease, "Are you in love with Ladybug or something mister model?"

He said it instantly, "What! NO! I mean she's a great person, and brave, and selfless but she's just," he could do this, he could make the words come out, "not, you."

She blinked a few times in shock, shaking her head, "I don't understand."

He smiled at her shyly, "I'm, in love with you Marinette. I have been for a long time."

The ice cream in her hand fell to the ground as she stared at Adrien, his eyes were nothing but sincere.

But she was in love with Chat Noir so, why was she crying like her heart was about to explode?

He dropped his ice cream as his hands flew to her face, "Marinette I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry. I, I shouldn't have said anything. We are friends, I know, I should have never crossed that line but,"

She put her fingers to his lips, stopping him from escalating his panic attack further then where it was.

"Adrien I, it's okay. I, really appreciate it but I," she felt like she was choking, the pain in her stomach was refusing to yield, "I'm in love with Chat Noir." She managed to finally get out.

His hands dropped as he stared at her in shock, "W-with, Chat Noir, but," he started shaking his head, "Do you, know him?"

She nodded, trying to wipe her eyes, "Better then anyone. He's my best friend, the one person I know will always be there for me. I've tried to tell him, over and over again. He thinks I'm just a joke, that I don't mean it but I do. I'm so sorry Adrien. I, I can't return your,"

He pulled her into a hug, squeezing her tightly. "Come with me."

He grabbed her hand as he stood, pulling her with him, "Adrien I don't think,"

"Please Marinette. This is really important." Adrien begged.

She nodded and followed him back to the car. They pulled up to the Agreste Mansion a few minutes later. They were barely out of the car when Nathalie stopped them.

"Adrien, you can't have visitors today. Your father has an important meeting going on and doesn't want any disturbances."

"Nathalie please. This is important." Adrien tried.

"Then it will be important tomorrow. Miss Dupain-Cheng, do you need a ride home?" Nathalie asked, not giving him room to argue.

She shook her head, "No, no ma'am, I can walk. I'll see you tomorrow Adrien okay? Are we, okay?"

Adrien grabbed her hand, bowing slightly as he kissed her hand, giving her a small wink, "Everything is purrfect LB."

Her eyes widened in silence.

No.

That was impossible.

She turned around without a word and left, her feet naturally picking up speed until she was in a full-blown sprint.

Tears streaming from her eyes.

Chat Noir was in love with someone.

Adrien was in love with her.

Adrien WAS Chat Noir so, the reason Chat Noir kept pushing away Ladybug, was because, he was in love with Marinette.

She was so happy she could barely think straight. Chat Noir loved her, underneath it all. That's what he was trying to tell her. The ice creams were dead giveaways.

A blinding scarlet light caught her attention and Tikki poked her head out of her purse, "Marinette, the akuma."

Marinette nodded, "Looks like the same one from last time." She ducked into an alley and called it, "Tikki, Spots On!"

She was enveloped in magic pink light and became Ladybug. She raced towards the akuma and saw it smirk when he saw her, "Looks like the little bug came back. Where's the cat?"

She twirled her yo-yo, getting ready to defend or attack if necessary. She wasn't going to let this fight drag on this time. Not if she could help it.

"Don't you worry about my kitty," she saw a shadow move behind the akuma and said it with a smirk of her own, "He always has a way of showing up when I need him most."

She threw her yo-yo and caught the akuma's wrist, seeing Chat leap into the air. He grabbed the akuma's wristband and jumped back, breaking it with his claws.

The akuma rose into the air and she caught and purified it quickly. Before she could call a Lucky Charm to set off the Miraculous ladybugs, Chat Noir had her in his arms, "Please, please forgive me. I pushed you away and,"

She held him tighter, "I can't be mad at you for pushing me away, for me." She giggled, "We're a chatastrophic failure don't you think?"

He actually laughed into her hair, "The biggest."

She called the Lucky Charm and set off the Miraculous Ladybugs. The little ladybug's flew around them as their eyes closed.

The memories of the past couple of days replayed in their minds. Adrien's stuttering. Marinette's soft smile. Then they saw what they hadn't before.

Marinette's stuttering. Adrien's soft smile. The ice cream that they had gotten the very first time they went to André's, when no one else was around.

Their eyes opened and instantly locked on each other's.

Ladybug had tears in her eyes, "I-It's you. It's been you, all this time."

Chat Noir was fighting back his own tears, "You were right. We are one big chatastrophic failure. You were right in front of me," he smirked slightly, "or behind me actually. I'm so sorry bug." He touched her face gently and she leaned into his hand smiling, "I'm sorry kitty, for ever making you think that,"

He chuckled, "I can't be mad at you for pushing me away, for me."

They both started laughing, hugging each other until they finally just, couldn't take it anymore.

They kissed passionately, only pulling away when they heard the applause going on around them.

Chat Noir went to his knee, grinning the biggest smile she had ever seen on him, "Ladybug, will you be my one and only love?"

People were encouraging her to answer, but it wasn't needed. Her response was instant, "Yes."

He stood and hugged her tightly, swinging her in a circle, as more applause sounded. Her earrings started to beep and they reluctantly parted.

…

"Marinette! You have a guest waiting for you!" Her mother called upstairs, "I have to go help back down to help your father, so try not to be late for school!"

"I won't!" She responded, curious as to who it could be. She had gotten up early so she could wait for Adrien at school. She knew they had a lot they needed to talk about.

She rushed downstairs, standing in shock at the bottom step as she saw him, standing in all of his handsome glory, "A-Adrien?! What are you doing here?"

He smiled at her, a slight blush on his cheeks, "Picking up my girlfriend for school, or is that not okay?"

"Girlfriend?" She squeaked.

He closed the small gap between them, the sadness in his piercing green eyes nearly bringing her to tears, "Unless, that's not, what you wanted."

She put her hands on either side of his face and kissed him gently, telling him as she touched the tip of his nose lightly, "Silly kitty. Chat Noir asked Ladybug, Adrien didn't ask Marinette."

He smirked, "That is true. I think I should be the one to be asked out this time. To be fair. We're equals, right bug?"

She rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh, "Equals yes, but are sure that's what you want? For me to ask you?"

He nodded, a mischievous gleam in his eyes, "If you are up for it, I have just the idea. Apparently, our class has taken bets on us."

She said it matching his grin, "Oh really? What's your plan kitty?"

He quickly told her his plan, and her grin just got wider as he went on. Oh their class was in for it. This was going to be one day they were never going to forget.

Though at the end of it all, Marinette did give Alya the biggest thank you she would ever receive in her entire life.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! The next one is coming soon so don't fret!**

**As always feel free to comment and review!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	12. Wacky Costume

**Hey everyone! Not sure if this counts as one or not, but after finishing this I felt like it had a very cross-over feel. I haven't fully written for any cross-overs, just threw some ideas together, so I'm not a hundred percent sure. I used some terminology, a couple of characters names, and their powers from another show, so I hope its not too confusing.**

**If you've ever watched '_Adventures of Sinbad_', you'll get it no problem. If not, sorry in advanced. ^-^' (Though for real you should watch it. It's amazing.)**

**It will make more sense why I ended up using so much from the other show when you see how it plays out. Technically, its all the akuma's fault, and from what I've read of the cross-over stories I don't think this would be considered a 'cross-over'. (I hope)**

**So, just to make sure, I, AgresteBug, do not own anything Miraculous or Magi-Sinbad related. Just my own plot! Sad I know, but a girl can dream.**

**I hope you enjoy either way!**

**Day 13 - Wacky Costume's**

* * *

Marinette arrived at the party a little late, but this time it wasn't completely her fault. Her costume had taken longer to put together then she thought it would, authenticity was important after all.

She smiled as she walked around the park, finally spotting her best friend in a full orange, black and white, hooded fox costume. She could only grin at the irony.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to be related to Rena Rouge would you?" She asked coming up behind Alya.

Alya turned with a smirk, her eyes widening, "GIRL! You look amazing!"

She looked down at her outfit, "You think it looks okay? I went with his look from the first season because I thought it would be easier. I didn't have a lot of time to hunt down jewelry for his King version."

Alya shook her head, her fox ears following the move, "No it looks super cool. You look just like Sinbad! You have the bandage wraps around your arms and everything. It's legit."

She smiled brightly, "I'm glad you like it."

Alya smirked, "Told you it was a good show."

She rolled her eyes, "One of the few times I can admit it was."

They laughed together when they saw a zombie Nino walking towards them, raising an eyebrow at her, "Please tell me you aren't dressed for Halloween as an anime character."

She said it proudly, "Adventures of Sinbad was a great show, and Sin is a great character."

Alya nudged her arm, "Hey, one day you just may be Queen of Sindria if you play your cards right."

Marinette rolled her eyes, "Yeah, and one day I'll magically stop stuttering and falling over my feet every time I'm around,"

"Sinbad?"

She stopped mid-sentence and turned, seeing what was without a doubt, Drakon from the first season of Sinbad. God why could Adrien pull anything off and still look more handsome then everyone else?

She smirked widely, keeping to Sinbad's character, "Why Drakon, I knew we'd meet again."

He just laughed, "Your costume is amazing. I recognized you right away. Have you defeated anymore dungeons lately Sin?"

She pulled the short sword from her side, showing the seal on the front "Baal only still, but who knows what's in store. Your costume is great too by the way, it's got great detail."

Nino and Alya both face palmed, "You two are ridiculous." "Putting it nicely."

Adrien said it easily, "Oh come on you guys. Marinette's costume is awesome! I can't believe we both dressed as characters from the same show. I didn't know you liked anime Marinette."

She said it carefully, "Some things."

They heard screaming and all four of them looked around, seeing what looked like a red eyed version of Judar. Seems Sinbad was a popular anime after all, "Look at all of you, wearing masks, pretending to be something your not. Let's make sure you really feel what its like to be someone else!"

Adrien grabbed her and rolled with her out of the way, both of them narrowly missing the triangle shaped energy spot that was heading towards them.

Nino grabbed Alya but knew he wasn't going to make it. He simply flipped their positions and another triangle energy mark hit him in the back.

He pushed Alya away from him and grabbed at his stomach as he doubled over, "Guys, get away from me."

The triangle mark appeared on his forehead with a line running through the middle. His eyes turned a misty blue before he stood, growling a low sound at Alya who screamed before turning to run.

Adrien helped Marinette up quickly, grabbing her hand and running away from the scene, trying to find a place to the hide. They dodged the triangle energy marks the genie-like Judar was throwing out in random directions with his wand.

They hid behind the DJ booth, trying to catch their breath, "This is bad. This is really, really bad." Marinette said, keeping her voice low.

"It's turning people into whatever they dressed up as. I've got to give it to Hawkmoth, he got creative." Adrien admitted, slightly impressed.

Marinette found herself glaring at her crush, "Creative? Nino is a zombie who is going after Alya!"

Adrien's hand went to the back of his neck, "Sorry, I'm, just worried."

She grabbed his hand gently, "No, I didn't mean to snap at you, I'm sorry."

He squeezed her hand in assurance and she let go, peering around the corner to see if the coast was clear yet. She needed to find a way to get away from Adrien, never thought she'd ever TRY to do that, but she needed to transform to deal with this akuma.

Adrien suggested it slowly, "Why don't we try splitting up? We can divide its attention and probably both get a few people out of here."

She shook her head, "I don't think that's going to work." She was watching the genie closely, "A lot of people are already changed, and he is somehow pinpointing the people who aren't. He's only barely moving around but he's hitting everything."

"The blue triangle, it must be connected back to him somehow." Adrien guessed. "If he can see what the transformed people are, you're right, it's not going to be easy getting out of here."

"Someone help me!" Marinette heard the familiar voice, her heart dropping.

She turned to look and saw an orange and white fox running in her direction, being chased by zombie Nino.

"ALYA!" Marinette moved without thinking, Adrien reaching for her arm to stop her, but he was too late, "Marinette don't!"

Alya ran straight to her, and Marinette met her half way, scooping her up in her arms and rolling with her momentum. She was back on her feet in seconds. Thankfully she had done this a few times as Ladybug. Zombie Nino was after Fox Alya with a vengeance it seemed because he turned and went straight for them.

Marinette started running and heard his panicked voice, "Marinette look out!"

She felt arms pushing her before she saw his piercing green eyes go wide.

"ADRIEN!"

He doubled over and grabbed at his face, "Damn, damn it, no, no don't," she watched as Adrien turned into the Drakon from the later season, full scales and dragon look and everything.

"Adrien!" She yelled again in panic.

"I'm all right. We have to move, now!" Adrien stood quickly and instantly lifted her and fox Alya up into his scaled arms, jumping into the air with incredible strength. They landed a few streets over on a rooftop, Adrien falling to his knees breathing heavily.

"Adrien are you okay?" Marinette asked again.

Adrien stood shakily after a minute, "Yeah, yeah, I'm all right. The sensation running through me is weird, but I still feel like me though."

Fox Alya nodded in her arms, "Me too. The only thing that changed was how I looked."

Adrien saw his hands as he stood, his eyes widening, "I feel like that Judar genie is cheating. I wasn't dressed like his dragon form."

Marinette smiled shyly, "Well he does look like Judar, maybe he is trying to mess with you."

Adrien's scaled hand moved up to his earring, "Hmm, I wonder."

He reached behind his back as fox Alya asked, "What are you looking for?"

Adrien pulled out a silver gun with a smirk, "He gave me Drakon's weapon, which means," Adrien took a few steps away from them and took a deep breath, feeling an intense heat building in his chest. He blew out and a wave of fire erupted instantly.

"AWESOME! I HAVE HIS POWERS!" Adrien said excitedly.

Marinette shook her head, "Adrien, I hate to tell you this, but you're a dork."

Fox Alya busted out laughing in her best friends arms, "Mister perfect model isn't as perfect as he seems."

Adrien had a slight blush showing on his cheeks, "Yeah well, I'm going to take both comments like compliments. So thank you."

The girls just laughed and Adrien told them as he thought about it. He didn't know what transforming would do to him in this state, so more than likely he was going to have to forgo being Chat Noir for as long as possible.

"This gives us an advantage at least. I dressed as a good guy and got his powers. Alya dressed as a fox, and turned into one but it didn't affect her mind. Nino was dressed like a zombie and it changed him completely."

Marinette nodded appreciatively, "The bad guys got worse, neutral outfits like Alya's are only a physical change, and good guys with powers GET powers."

Adrien had a brilliant idea, his eyes widening with joy as he said it, "If genie-Judar's powers are like his ones from the show, it will take someone from that show to combat him. Someone who captures seven dungeons and can't be defeated."

Adrien was looking straight at Marinette as he said it. Marinette and Alya said it in at the same time in the same shock, "You WANT the akuma to hit me?" "You WANT the akuma to hit her?"

Adrien nodded, "You're dressed as Sinbad. He has multiple djinn to choose from and Judar knows better than to try to have a full out fight with Sinbad."

Marinette caught where he was going with this, "Because even though he's a magi, he'll lose to Sinbad."

There was one major problem with that though. If she got hit and got Sinbad's powers to combat genie-Judar, would she still be able to transform into Ladybug? Adrien's plan was good, so if she could use his own powers against him, at least to weaken him a bit, all she would have to do is transform into Ladybug to purify the akuma.

No. There weren't a million ways this could backfire.

She said it having faith in her friend, "Okay, let's, try it."

Adrien smiled brightly, "You mean it?"

She nodded, "Yeah. If we can weaken it, we'll make Ladybug and Chat Noir's job easier."

Fox Alya added it worried, "If the right ones show up. Do you know how many people probably dressed like them for Halloween?"

Adrien and Marinette both felt like idiots. Of course there would be other Ladybug and Chat Noir's. There had even been a Ladybug and Chat Noir at the park party.

Granted, Chloe and Sabrina had run away from the fight, so neither of them got their hopes up for a chance to maybe get out of transforming at all.

Adrien-Drakon lifted Marinette and fox Alya up again, using the same incredible strength to take them back towards the park.

Fox Alya pointed her paw in the other direction, "I think it moved towards the Eiffel Tower, I hear a lot of screaming from over there. Damn it! I wish I could use my phone!"

Marinette laughed as Adrien shook his head, "You're a fox Alya, your phone probably disappeared with your transformation."

Fox Alya had a smirk in her eyes, "You think I'm a fox huh? Wait until I tell Nino."

Adrien-Drakon said it quickly, "That's not what I meant."

Fox Alya let out a small huff, "Oh so you don't think so? Thanks for making a girl feel special Agreste."

Adrien stuttered to get anything out and Marinette scolded her, "Leave Adrien alone Alya."

Fox Alya looked up from where she was in her best friend's arms, "I'm proud of you by the way. For still being conscious considering."

Marinette was confused for a second before realizing what Alya was getting at, "W-we are kind of in an emergency situation here."

Adrien set them down gently in an ally just a short ways from the tower, "I'm going to try and distract him. Marinette, I'll be with you the whole time, and I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

She nodded, blushing as she held fox Alya tighter to her chest. Adrien-Drakon pulled a sword from his back and took off towards genie-Judar, catching his attention straight away.

Fox Alya asked her gently, "Are you sure about this?"

"No, but what else can I do?" She asked.

Alya looked at her sternly, "Uhm, I don't know, transform into Ladybug and stop this guy?"

"You saw the show, you know how powerful Judar is as a character. Adrien has Drakon's strength, and sword skills," she motioned to where Adrien-Drakon was holding genie-Judar off, "We might actually need Sinbad's djinn equip to stop this akuma, or at least weaken it."

Tikki flew out of the small purse she had hooked to the sword sheathe, "Once you get transformed by the akuma, if you're affect is like Adrien's, changing into Ladybug should be just like the time with Reflekta."

Fox Alya nodded, "That's right. Chat Noir said he had gotten hit as a civilian before he transformed, and the miraculous magic nullified the akuma's power."

Marinette set fox Alya down and told her, "Sorry I can't go get your Miraculous."

Fox Alya shook her head as she sat on her hind legs, "No, it's fine. I want to help but I don't want to know what will happen if an active miraculous gets hit by that power. It's practically controlling Nino, and the last thing we need is for a holder to get turned."

Tikki nodded and Marinette told her, unhooking her purse and tying it around fox Alya's neck. She let it sit on her back like a small backpack and told Alya, "Take care of Tikki for me for a little bit okay? Just watch for my signal."

She did a two-finger salute and Alya nodded again, "I'll be ready."

Marinette saw people still trying to clear the area, most of them were in the neutral category, their forms simply changed. There were only a few people running around as 'villians' but didn't seem to be doing any real damage besides chasing people away.

She got closer to the fight and whistled loudly, getting genie-Judar's attention, "I'm not afraid of you!"

Genie-Judar huffed but had a wild smirk on his face, pinning Adrien-Drakon face down, "Well, little Sin came out to play."

She pulled her fake sword, holding it out threateningly, "You really think that's smart?"

"Oh it is. Hawkmoth will love having the great King of Sindria on his side!"

Adrien-Drakon told her panicking, "Marinette run!"

She only took a single step back, but then launched herself forward to take the triangle energy symbol at full force. It crashed into her chest and took the breath out of her lungs. She fell to her knee's gasping for breath as Adrien struggled to get free to try and help her, "MARINETTE!"

She gasped as she finally took a breath, and was wrapped in golden butterflies. She felt the change happening, feeling the weight of metal on each of her wrists and on two of her fingers. She felt the weight around her neck and on her head. When she opened her eyes, the golden butterflies scattered around her, helping her stand tall.

She looked down at herself, smirking slightly. Well, genie-Judar wanted King Sinbad. He got him – or her rather.

"Drakon! Your household vessel!" She reminded him, grabbing her sword, now very real, and called it easily, "Take shelter within me. Transform me, make my body into a great sorcerer."

Yes. She had watched this show one too many times and knew how to summon the djinn equip.

She felt the djinn equip taking over and genie-Judar let go of Adrien to rush her, "Oh no you don't!"

"Bararaq." She called calmly as the dust around her cleared slightly. A giant sword of lightning pelted down from the sky, hitting genie-Judar point blank mere feet from her.

She used her added strength to rush to Adrien-Drakon's side, seeing him getting to his knees, "Marinette. You look bad-ass in the Baal Djinn Equip."

He smirked up at her and she rolled her eyes, reminded of Chat Noir and his antics in the middle of a fight, "This was your idea remember?"

She helped him up and realized they both had clawed hands now. Adrien told her in a somewhat awed tone, "I can't believe you remembered how to call the djinn equip. I almost forgot that Drakon was Sin's first household member." He flipped the sword in his hand and it sparked with Baal's lightning.

"That's not all I remember. You are going to love this." She said easily, seeing the gleam of excitement in his eyes.

Genie-Judar said it angrily as he got to his feet, "No! You are supposed to be under my control!"

Marinette held the sword up to him, stopping his advance, "King Sinbad, though his methods may be unconventional at times, are always for the good of the world. All you did by targeting me, was ensuring that you would be defeated." She raised the sword in the air, "Bararaq Saiqa!"

Genie-Judar was ready this time and was using his wand to try and fend off the onslaught of the attack.

Adrien-Drakon moved from her side instantly, rushing the akuma. He caught genie-Judar by the middle, his wand going flying. Marinette kicked off of the ground and caught the wand mid-air, glancing around as she saw a rush of orange fur streak across the ground.

She dropped down and gave a short two-fingered salute, letting the djinn equip fall.

Fox Alya was next to her in seconds, "Girl, that was hell-a impressive!"

Marinette giggled, "I'm almost glad you didn't get it on camera. I don't ever want to have this kind of power ever again." She made sure no one was around and called it, "Tikki, Spots On!"

She felt the miraculous magic move over her, nullifying the akuma's powers and turning her into Ladybug.

Fox Alya watched as she tried to snap the wand, but it refused to be broken.

She knew from its purple sheen that it had to be the akumatized object, so why couldn't she break it?

"Bugaboo!" She heard him call out.

She turned and saw him vaulting in her direction, "Chat Noir, I'm glad you are okay."

He said it seriously, "I'm glad you are too. I was worried for a minute when you never showed up."

Fox Alya asked curiously, "You saw the fight and didn't try to help?!"

Chat kneeled down and said it smirking, "Cool. A talking fox. You sound a lot like the ladyblogger."

"I am the ladyblogger Chat Noir!" Fox Alya told him sternly.

"Oh, whoops. Nice to see you again." He said sheepishly.

Fox Alya shook her head at him, "I can't believe you didn't help fight that guy off."

Chat said it quickly, "Did you actually see that fight? That, girl-king rained lightning from the sky like it was nothing and the akuma practically fended it off. I've seen some weird things, but that was straight out of an anime I had no intention of getting caught up in. I value my lives. The dragon-guy who was fighting with the girl-king managed to knock the akuma unconscious, thankfully, so he can't do anymore damage."

Ladybug smiled slightly in relief, "I'm glad you didn't jump in honestly. The, girl-king, caught this and gave it to me. I told her to go find her friends and that this would be over soon, but the wand won't break."

Chat held out his hand, "Allow me."

She put the wand in his hand and he called it quickly, "Cataclysm!"

The wand disintegrated instantly, releasing the akuma. She purified it quickly and called the Miraculous Ladybugs. She watched as her best friend returned to normal, back in costume though, and smiled.

"Oh thank god. Running on all fours is not as easy as you make it look Chat Noir." Alya told him.

Chat laughed, "Some of us are actually part animal, so it helps."

Ladybug scratched under his chin affectionately, "Thanks for showing up when you did."

Chat bowed, "You know I've always got your back bugaboo. I'll never let anything happen to you. That's a promise."

His ring started to beep and he took off quickly before he could change back in front of them.

Ladybug and Alya found the akuma victim, looking around dazed. Ladybug explained that he had been akumatized. The guy apologized, saying that someone at his office party had dressed up like him for Halloween as a joke, but not in a good way. Ladybug comforted him as much as she could before her own beeping started. Once they were out of sight, she lifted Alya onto her back and headed back towards the park.

They dropped down seconds before her transformation dropped. When they rushed into the park, Marinette realized it, "Oh no, Alya we lost Adrien!"

"Marinette!" "Alya!"

They turned and saw the boys heading their way. Nino had Alya in his arms in seconds, "I'm so sorry."

Alya told him quickly, "You weren't yourself. Don't be sorry."

Adrien was looking at Marinette proudly, "You were amazing."

"So were you." She said easily.

Adrien smiled brighter, "You made a great Sinbad but you know what? I think I like you as Marinette much more."

Marinette's heart melted inside her chest, the blush turning her face to scarlet in seconds. "Th-thanks Adrien."

"Will you go out with me tomorrow?" Adrien blurted out without thinking, without worrying about everything that could go wrong.

All he knew was what he felt in this moment, pushing him over from what he had felt before. When he watched her not only become King Sinbad, but when he saw how she stood up to the akuma without fear, fighting to protect everyone by letting herself be hit with the akuma's power, his heart had changed.

No, not changed. It had simply, accepted what was already there. He had always felt something for Marinette, but always found a reason for why it couldn't be what he thought. Now, feeling it clearly, even after seeing Ladybug earlier, he knew what was real.

Marinette's mouth was slightly parted as she stared at him in shock. She looked straight at Alya and asked seriously, "I died in that akuma fight didn't I? I rushed right in and it ended me didn't it?"

Alya laughed, "No, you aren't dead, but you are kinda leaving someone hanging."

Marinette instantly snapped her attention back to Adrien, who smiled somewhat shyly. She erupted into her own smile and hugged him tightly, saying it happily, "Yes I'll go out with you!"

He hugged her back and closed his eyes in content. Having Marinette in his arms like this didn't just feel right.

It was purrfect.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! More will be coming soon so don't fret! This one was stirring me towards the prompt 'Chat Noir but Different', which I'm going to fully finish working on editing tomorrow. (Its 130am guys and I am, exhausted)**

**Feel free to comment and review! Hearing from you guys brightens my day every time!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	13. Chat Noir but Different

**Hey everyone! Longest one-shot so far, over 9,000 words so be prepared! **

**I want to thank Deathmatt144 for his concept suggestion for this plot! You really inspired me! ^-^ Thanks to everyone else for the reviews, favs, and follows! And for all your patience! ^-^**

**Also, I don't own the Miraculous characters, or anything anime related either, just the plot. Without further ado, Enjoy!**

**Day 15 - Chat Noir, but Different**

* * *

Ladybug was staring at her partner, trying not to laugh at his angry pacing.

"Sometimes there is nothing you can do kitty." She told him, stifling a giggle.

He groaned, throwing his hands up into the air, "It's not fair! They are really debating doing the final season. Don't writers understand that closure is a real thing? Fans NEED closure. They need it to function properly in their daily lives. It's a pivotal element to our survival!"

She covered her mouth, clearing her throat to hide the bubbling laughter threatening to escape, "It's not that serious Chat."

His bright green eyes snapped to hers quickly, staring at her as though she had just betrayed him in the most vile of ways, "How can you say that?"

"It's just a TV show Chat." She said simply, smirking.

And that did it, "JUST a TV show! This isn't some crudely drawn cartoon with no plot episode after episode. This anime has been running for ten years. TEN YEARS! How are they not going to run the last season?! How are they not going to give us our main characters in the canon relationship they should have after the years of turmoil they've had to suffer through?!"

He was breathing heavily after his rant, staring at her as though she would have the answers.

Finally though, she couldn't hold it in anymore. Rolling laughter tumbled out of her, making her grab her stomach as she doubled into herself.

"BUGABOO!" He yelled upset over her laughing, "This is serious!"

"I'm, I'm," more laughing escaped as she peeked up at him, "I'm sorry kitty. It's just, you are so invested in this cartoon,"

"Anime." He corrected instantly with a frown.

She snickered but nodded, "Anime. I've never seen you get like this, about anything. And then of all the things for the suave Chat Noir to fan girl over, it's anime, which doesn't match to anything I would ever associate you with." She was still smiling as she asked, "You do realize that it's just a story from someone else's imagination right?"

He held her eyes, his shoulder's falling slightly as he said it in an even tone, "Yes Ladybug. I know it's not real."

The smile dropped from her face at his tone, a twinge of guilt building in her stomach. She could see it in his eyes. Her laughing had upset him.

"You wouldn't understand I guess." He said simply, turning his back on her and sitting precariously on the roof's edge.

She heard the embarrassed hurt in his voice and got up instantly. Yes it was funny, but she had never meant to hurt his feelings. He inched away from her as she sat down, and her guilt grew.

"I'm sorry Chat Noir, really I am." She said sincerely, reaching over to put her hand over his, "I just, I honestly don't understand why you're so passionate about it, so help me understand." She asked kindly.

"It's personal." He said instantly, "You don't do personal remember?"

She inhaled sharply at the hurtful jab, but quickly let it go. It wasn't about her right now. It was about him. He would never intentionally make a jab at someone like that, not unless his feelings were genuinely hurt.

Now she felt even worse.

"Free pass kitty. One time use only." She tried.

He asked in shock as he looked up at her, "Are you sure?"

She nodded, "Really, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

He flipped his hand over and held hers, giving it a slight squeeze, "I know you didn't." He let out a soft sigh before turning to face her a little more, "I know it may not seem like it but, I've spent most of my life alone. It was only very recently that I was even allowed to go to a real school. I am," he looked down, "really awkward, normally. I tend to overanalyze everything I do or say, and have a tendency to misread what other people are saying."

She said it completely shocked, "But, you don't ever act like,"

"Act, is the key word there. In my civilian life," he frowned, "the expectations on me are, extremely unreachable. Nothing I do is good enough. I have to act a certain way, be the person everyone expects me to be. I'm not allowed to make mistakes. My job is to stand there visible, but silent like a trophy. In the mask,"

He closed his eyes and smiled towards the moon, "I feel like I can do anything, and be the person I want to be without worrying about what everyone else is going to think." His smile widened as he opened his eyes, "The few friends that I do have understand what my life is like, not this half of course but the other half. They've helped me a lot, to be better about being myself. I use my time as Chat Noir to let it out, without hiding behind my usual mask."

She nodded. He had told her a long time ago that Chat Noir was more of who he really was inside then his civilian self. Seeing the truth of it in his eyes now, she believed him completely.

She commented lightly, hoping to get a smile out of him, "So, you mean your friends actually encourage your reckless, overly flamboyant behavior?"

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, "I'm usually pretty quiet so they do actually. Most of the time they just want me to be more comfortable giving my opinion and being myself without worrying that something will go wrong or someone won't like me for it."

She understood that and backed up his friends, "If someone doesn't like you for who you are, and you have to change yourself for them to like you, that isn't a friend you need to have."

He smiled at her, "I'll keep that in mind."

They had strayed a little off topic, so she took the chance to ask, "Okay, I get all of that, so what does this have to do with the anime you were telling me about?"

He looked down at his clawed hands, "This one in particular is one of the first anime I ever watched. I really admired the main character and could relate in a way."

He looked out into the city, "In the show, everyone has this single view of him and of who he is, but his real friends know he is the exact opposite. Even though he is the one who wants everyone to see him in that certain way, when given the chance, when fate gives him power," he rubbed his thumb over his Miraculous, "he uses it to defend people. When he's fighting, and knowing the reasons behind why he fights, it shows who he is on the inside."

He idly played with the ring while he spoke, "Throughout the show, he gets stronger as his opponents do. He slowly starts adding friends to his usually closed off inner circle, and the last thing he really needs to fully become who he really is,"

She knew the answer, given how his voice was lowering as he spoke, "is for the girl he's in love with to see that she's loved him all along."

He flashed her a quick smile, "Well, technically it's the other way around in the show. He is an oblivious idiot who can't see that the beautiful girl he almost gave his life for is madly in love with him."

He rolled his eyes and she let out a soft laugh, "I can sort of relate to that."

He smirked at her, "Your oblivious guy still being an oblivious idiot?"

She rolled her eyes this time, "We are talking about you kitty." She knew he was trying to deflect and she wasn't going to let him.

She held his eyes and he looked sad again, "You still want to know why I have so much invested in this show."

She nodded and he looked up, "Being alone for so long, finding this show where there was a character I could relate to, even adding now with getting my miraculous and slowly growing into my own person. Not knowing how his ending is going to go, if things are going to work out the way he deserves after everything he's been through and almost lost," he looked back at her, "that 'what if' hanging in the air makes me wonder if, my end will be as abrupt as his without knowing what could have been."

She felt the telltale sting in her eyes, "Chat,"

He tried to smile but wasn't sure if it came across that way, "I know that's childish and silly, but if he could get the ending he deserves, maybe it means that someday, I could too."

She threw her arms around him, pulling him into her embrace, "You don't need a show to tell you that. One day, you are going to have a girl look you in the eye and without saying a word, you'll know how she feels. When we've done what we're meant to, and our fight is over," she pulled back and put her hands on his face, "you, are going to have the life you deserve. It is going to be full of friends and love and laughter, and you are never going to have to suffer alone ever again. Not as along as there is a single breath left in my body."

A few tears escaped his eyes and she smiled at him, kissing his forehead, "That is a Ladybug lifetime guarantee."

He gave her a soft laugh, "Thanks bug."

They sat there for a little bit longer before deciding that it was time to head home. Tomorrow was Monday and they both had school after all. It wouldn't do them any good to be tired.

As Marinette de-transformed in her room, she immediately grabbed for her laptop. Tikki was munching on a cookie as she asked, "What are you doing Marinette?"

She looked up the show Chat had told her about, "I'm going to watch a few episodes of that show Chat was telling me about. Maybe it will help me understand him a little better."

Tikki smiled at her holder proudly, "I think it was sweet how you let Chat open up. Maybe you can return the favor one day."

Marinette smiled up at Tikki, "Maybe. You want to watch this weird anime with me?"

Tikki flew over to her and they got comfortable in her bed, letting the first episode play. It was only eleven, so even if they only watched one episode tonight, she was sure that would be enough.

…

She tapped her foot impatiently, trying to rush the lunch bell into ringing so she could find somewhere to hide for the next hour and a half.

The bell rang and she smiled in relief, hurrying to put her things away. Ugh, why did she have so much stuff?!

"Girl, why are you so antsy today?" Alya asked concerned.

"Working on a project." She answered cryptically, throwing her back over her shoulder.

Adrien's voice stopped her before she could move, "A new project, are we going to get a sneak peak or do we have to wait until its finished?"

Her heart skipped a beat but she kept a clear head, telling him shortly, "Uh, finished. Yeah. Sorry, gotta go. Bye guys, have a good lunch!" She rushed out of the room and disappeared into the hall.

Adrien looked between Nino and Alya, "That was, weird, even for Marinette right?"

They both nodded, "Yeah." "She's been jittery all day. I wonder what's she's working on that has her so wound up."

"She hasn't told you?" Adrien asked Alya. Marinette told her everything.

"No," she said shaking her head, "She hasn't said anything to me. Well, we'll find out eventually I guess."

Adrien frowned with his friends. He hoped that it wasn't anything serious.

…

She was typing quickly on her phone, angry that she still couldn't find it. Marinette felt like she was about to lose her mind. She groaned out loud and kept scrolling, somewhere, it HAD to be somewhere!

"Okay girl, fess up, right now. What is going on with you? You have been like this for two weeks!"

She looked up and saw Alya standing in front of her. Her hands were on her hips with a half annoyed, half amused, scowl on her face.

"Oh hey Alya." She went back to her phone and Alya groaned, "Marinette, did you hear anything I said?"

"Oh, yeah, that sounds great. Whatever you want to do." Marinette told her easily.

Alya snatched her phone from her hand and she grabbed for it instantly, "Alya! Give it back!"

Alya was looking at her phone in shock, "You are looking up an anime? I thought you were working on a project!"

Marinette bit her lip, "I am. I am, trying to find the last few seasons of the show I've been watching, but I can't find them anywhere."

"You are binge-watching a show?" Alya looked back down at her phone, "Season 14! You have watched 265 episodes in two weeks!"

Marinette blushed and grabbed her phone from Alya's hand while she had the chance, telling her hurt, "You are sounding a little judge-y there Miss Cesairé."

Alya started laughing, "Oh my god. Wait until I tell Nino! He is going to get a kick out of this."

"Alya," Marinette whined.

"Tell me what babe?"

They looked over and saw Nino and Adrien walking up to them.

Alya started laughing again, "Guys, you know how we have been worried about Marinette the past two weeks?"

They both nodded, and she felt herself flush. She hadn't even realized that she had worried them. This show had consumed her life, and it was all Chat's fault.

"We have been worried for no reason. She is binge watching an anime that apparently has over fourteen seasons." Alya explained.

Nino looked straight at her, "YOU?"

Marinette crossed her arms, trying to make it seem like it wasn't important, "It's a good show. A friend recommended it and you guys know how I am, once I start something I have to finish it."

Adrien asked curious, "How many episodes have you watched so far?"

She hated admitting it, because yes even to her it sounded like someone with an obsession, "Uhh, about, 265 in the past two weeks."

Everyone's eyes widened. Adrien asking somewhat impressed, "You've actually watched that many episodes in two weeks? What are you watching? Is it any good?"

Nino told Adrien hard, "Dude, don't even start."

"Oh come on Nino!" Adrien complained at him. "Even you have to admit, that it's impressive."

Nino rolled his eyes, "Thanks a lot Marinette. I just finally got this dork to get off of his anime obsession."

Adrien pushed Nino's arm, "I will never get over my love of anime, and you'll either love me for it or not."

Alya laughed, "He's got you there Nino. Be careful or your bromance will be over before it begins."

"Wait, Adrien, you like anime?" Marinette asked shocked.

Nino said it quickly, "He doesn't like anime. He has an obsession. Have you ever actually looked at all the DVD's on his wall? Half of them are anime shows, and that wall is like, ten feet high dudette."

Marinette grabbed onto Adrien's arm, begging and hoping that he was as much of an anime lover as Nino was making him out to be, "Season 14, 15, and 16 of Bleach. You have them?"

"Of course I do, that's my favorite show!" Adrien told her excitedly. "That's what you've been watching?"

She nodded, practically jumping in joy, "Yes but I can't find the dubs anywhere online! It's been killing me since this morning."

"Tell me about it. I had to special order them from Japan! I was not about to wait for the dubs to get caught up." Adrien said seriously.

She smirked, "Watching with the Japanese audio but with subtitles?"

He nodded not the least bit ashamed, and said it smirking at her, "You too huh?"

She nodded quickly, "I had to keep going. Do you mind if I borrow them? I'll give them back as soon as I'm done."

Adrien couldn't believe that Marinette was just as passionate about this show as he was. He didn't even care about the crazy back and forth looks Nino and Alya were giving them. The idea popped into his head instantly.

"Why don't you come over and we can watch them together? I've already seen them but I am always up for a rerun." He asked instantly, never having a friend to watch it with before.

Her bluebell eyes lit up and it gave him hope, "Really! That would be great! Wait, are you sure your dad will be okay with that? I don't want you to get in trouble or anything."

"Oh no, he's at the Gabriel Tokyo office right now so as long as I get my hour of piano done it won't be a problem. Here let me call Nathalie really quick to rearrange my schedule slightly." He pulled out his phone right away and Marinette leaned closer to him. He smiled and let the phone lay between their ears.

"Adrien, is everything all right?" Nathalie asked as she answered.

"Everything is great Nathalie! All I have is piano for an hour tonight right? Do you think I could have a friend come over for a little while?" He asked happily, hoping that she would say yes.

Nathalie hesitated for a few seconds before telling him, "Yes that should be fine. Time-frame?"

He answered instantly already having the plan laid out in his mind, "School gets out at four. Home by four-fifteen. Piano from four-twenty to five-twenty instead of off time. Showered by five-forty-five. So, six-ish? Can I order a pizza for dinner for me and my friend?"

Nathalie was typing quickly and then hummed appreciatively, "That sounds fine. I'll send Gorilla the schedule for the afternoon, and yes since you are having a friend over, THIS ONCE, you may order pizza. But get and actually EAT a salad on the side please. Tomorrow is Saturday and you have a photo shoot scheduled for eleven in the morning so,"

"Don't be up late. Get some sleep. Be on time. Thank you Nathalie you are the greatest!" Adrien said happily as Marinette moved away from him and danced in a small circle in joy.

Nathalie actually sounded shocked, "Y-you're welcome Adrien. Enjoy your night."

He hung up and Marinette hugged him tightly before kissing him on the cheek in her excitement, "You are the greatest Adrien!"

He hugged her back, holding her hands in his, "You want me to come pick you up tonight?"

"Oh no, you don't have to do that, you said six-ish right?" She asked just wanting to confirm.

He nodded, "Right. I'll order pizza and then we can binge. You are going to love it," they started walking to class together, talking excitedly as they held hands, "season 14 is the end of the Hueco Mundo Arc. Best fight in the whole show is going to go down."

She squealed excitedly, "Oooh I can't wait!"

Nino and Alya stared after their two friends, not sure if all of that really happened just now.

Nino looked at his girlfriend, seeing that she was just as shocked as he was, "Alya, did Adrien just,"

"ask Marinette on a date." She said plainly, watching them head upstairs without them.

"And did she,"

"Hug him and agree without combusting or turning into a puddle." She confirmed.

"And did he really,"

"rearrange his entire schedule for her. Yep." Alya noted that they still hadn't let go of each other's hands as they reached the top of the stairs.

"She kissed him just now right?" He asked, not sure if he had imagined that.

"Yep." Alya said, popping the P at the end.

"Do you think either of them realize what is actually happening?" He asked her with a smirk.

Alya laughed and put her arm in his, "Those dummies don't have a clue. Since your bro went to class without you, maybe I can be your date instead?"

Nino leaned in and gave his beautiful fox a soft kiss, "You can be my only date, forever."

Alya had a small blush appear and Nino felt himself swell in pride. It was rare he got that reaction out of her.

Alya tried to get the subject off of them as they headed upstairs themselves, "Should we tell Marinette when Adrien rushes off at the end of the day that she is going to be alone with him, in his bedroom, at night?"

Nino smirked knowingly, "I don't think you are going to need to have 'the talk' with Marinette. I know Adrien doesn't need it. He's such an innocent still. It won't even cross his mind once."

Alya heard the challenge in there, "Bet you a date night of your choice that they are together by Monday morning."

Nino loved this girl and her crazy ways, "You're on, same terms. They won't make it to Sunday night."

…

"See you tonight!" Adrien waved at her as he hurried towards his car.

Marinette waved back at him, "Bye! See you tonight!"

She twirled in a circle as he drove off, and heard Alya laughing next to her, "To think, one dorkasaurus found another through anime."

Marinette scowled at her, "Hey, leave Adrien alone. Everyone has things they love, and this anime is beyond great."

Alya raised an eyebrow at her, saying it smirking, "I was talking about you miss dorkasaurus."

Marinette flushed, "Oh, well that's okay then. I'm not even going to try and deny it this time. I am so excited Alya. I thought I was going to have to buy them and that was really going to eat into my fabric-fund."

Alya laughed, "I bet it would have." She had agreed with Nino that they wouldn't mention to either of them that they were practically having a date night.

The last thing they wanted was for Marinette to cancel if the realization caught up to her, or have Adrien try to deny it and end up spending the whole night pushing her away.

"Well, have fun tonight. Let me know how it goes." Alya told her winking.

Marinette wasn't sure what the wink was for but didn't care at the moment, "Yeah I'll call you tomorrow! Bye."

Marinette rushed home, begging for permission to go hang out at Adrien's that night. Her parents instantly agreed, glad that she was hanging out with her friends instead of being locked in her room the way she had been the past two weeks. She knew that they were assuming Nino and Alya were going to be there too, and she couldn't find it in her to correct them. She really, really, REALLY wanted to watch the last few seasons.

She rushed through her homework, cleaned her room, and even went on a quick patrol run. She checked to make sure Chat hadn't messaged her, he hadn't, and they hadn't had an akuma in over two weeks either so she hadn't seen him. She sent him a quick message, telling him about how it was all his fault for her sudden obsession with his show and thanking him for it.

She saw the time and rushed home to take a quick shower. She grabbed a small bag, Tikki slipping inside and enjoying the large stash of cookies she had put inside.

Her parents handed her a box of goodies to take, and told her that if it got too late they didn't mind her spending the night as long as the girls slept in different rooms than the boys. She agreed as she was heading out of the door.

She made it to Adrien's a few minutes after six, walking into the foyer after Gorilla let her in. Adrien came bolting out of his room with a bright smile, "You made it!"

"I wouldn't have missed this for anything! I brought dessert!" She held up the box and opened it, grabbing the small bag and holding them out to Gorilla, "The vanilla-mint cookies are your favorite right?"

He took the bag with a small nod and appreciative smile. She smiled at him brightly and followed Adrien to his room. The pizza was already sitting on his coffee table and he asked teasing, "Are you sure you are ready for this? Some epic moments are going to happen here."

She nodded, "Bring it on."

He closed the shutters and turned down the lights. Marinette did a sneaky check on Tikki to make sure she was okay before going to the couch. She didn't notice how Adrien was doing his own sneaky check on Plagg, warning him about behaving while Marinette was here.

Adrien started the first episode of the night and they watched intently, mindlessly eating pizza until it was gone.

Somehow through episode after episode, Adrien and Marinette subconsciously moved closer and closer together. Marinette found herself leaning into him comfortably, and Adrien's arm went around her shoulders without consciously doing it.

It was so natural for them to be this close. As though they had done this a thousand times before.

Adrien was absentmindedly playing with Marinette's hair as she stared with mixed emotions at the screen. He was getting as much joy out of watching her reaction's, as she was to watch the story unfold. In between episodes, they had been talking about what Marinette thought was going to happen. When the last episode ran through the credits, he asked her instantly, "Think you can make one more?"

He squeezed her side where his hand had fallen comfortably, and when she didn't immediately respond, he realized why.

She was fast asleep on his shoulder. He smiled at her, "The curse of the filler episodes strikes again."

Plagg flew up to him in seconds, "Can I pleeeeeee-ase have more cheese now? Or do you need to continue to make googly eyes at your new girlfriend?"

Heat rushed to his face as he told Plagg quietly in hard tone, "She's not my girlfriend Plagg!"

Plagg had a huge smirk on his face, "Yeah? Look at yourselves kitten. You think this is something 'just friends' do?"

He instantly looked down and knew his face had discovered a new shade of red. Her legs were pulled up slightly and curled around one of his, and his hand was resting on her hip. His other hand was resting on her wrist, and her hand was clutching his t-shirt in her sleep.

He froze in place, Plagg snickering, "Yeah, that's what I thought. Since she's sleeping here, she may be more comfortable lying down." Plagg's smirk turned wicked, "Unless you want to hold her all night while she sleeps."

Adrien glared at Plagg but started to try and move. Thankfully she seemed to be sound asleep, and thanks to the Black Cat Miraculous, he was able to lift her up in his arms and take her over to his bed easily. He laid her down gently, covering her with the blankets before backing away quietly.

He stared at her soft face for a few seconds.

Marinette was beautiful. He had always noticed but seeing her asleep like this, so relaxed and at peace, she was even more so.

His heart gave an uneven stutter as he turned away from her.

He loved Ladybug, so, why was his heart beating this way?

He turned everything off and cleaned up the little bit of mess they had made before lying down on the couch. Plagg was hovering next to him, and asked suddenly, "Adrien, do you really not have any feelings for that girl, at all?"

He opened his mouth and Plagg raised a paw, "No, think before you speak kitten. I know you love Ladybug, but you need to think about what you are doing here. Baker girl is nice, and she is your friend so you know she likes you for who you are, but this," Plagg motioned between the bed and the couch, "Whatever this was, it's obvious you two have something more going on."

"I," Adrien hesitated, knowing deep down that Plagg was right, "I know. I, I do feel something more for her than I have for any other girl I've met but, I have to know that Ladybug is never going to return my feelings Plagg. I know she loves me, and I want her to love me the way I love her."

"I understand that, but if you aren't careful, you are going to hurt the beautiful heart that is already in front of you. And that, is something that will cost you more than you know." Plagg said cryptically before zooming off into the dark.

Adrien sat up and looked at the bed, leaning his head against the top of the couch comfortably. He watched her sleep until his eyes got heavy, trying to sort out the feelings in his heart. He fell asleep dreaming about her, about them both.

Ladybug was standing there and he would hug her in relief that she was there. He would pull away and see Marinette, her warmth and loving smile filling him to the core. Back and forth they switched, over and over again on loop. It was almost as if, his mind was trying to tell him what he couldn't see with his own eyes.

He knew it was a dream because it was too good to be true. Ladybug's transformation dropped suddenly, and Marinette stood in her place. Marinette was Ladybug, and she loved him the way he loved her. It would be perfect. It would be everything he could have ever hoped for. It was the truth hidden behind the magic.

He wouldn't remember the dream in the morning.

…

An alarm blared next to her and she groaned, pulling the pillow over her head, "Noooooo, leave me alone."

The alarm continued to go off as she searched for her phone to shut it off. How could she have forgotten to turn off the alarms? She realized after a few seconds of searching that her phone was nowhere to be found, and for some oddly pleasant reason, her pillows smelled just like Adrien. She held the soft pillow to her face, and heard the groggy voice, "Marinette, please turn the alarm off. I'm begging you."

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up squeaking when she realized she was in Adrien's room. In his bed.

"Marinette, the alarm," Adrien begged sleepily.

She looked over and saw the alarm that was causing the disturbance. She turned it off quickly and tried to find her voice, "A-Adrien?"

She watched as he sat up on the couch slowly, "Hey, you sleep okay?"

She felt herself blushing to what was no doubt a Ladybug red, "I, slept fine, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep. I could have slept on the couch really I,"

"I wasn't going to let you sleep on the couch." He smiled at her softly, "And you don't have to apologize. Blame the filler episode curse."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't find a way to get her heart to stop racing, "That usually does it."

She started to get up and he asked as he stood, "Would you like to have breakfast before you go?"

She smiled at him, "Don't you have a photo shoot at eleven?"

He quickly looked around and grabbed for his phone as he asked, "What time is it?"

"Ten-thirty." She told him, watching his eyes widen in horror, "Oh no, oh no this isn't good." He ran to his closet and she called out to him worried, "Adrien?"

"Crap, crap. Nathalie is going to kill me if I'm late." He said to himself, pulling on a deep maroon hoody and his shoes quickly. He grabbed a light blue hoody and tossed it to Marinette, "Will that work for now? I want to treat you to breakfast but if I miss this photo shoot, who knows how long I'll be grounded."

She was already pulling on her shoes, "You don't have to do that really. I can just go home."

"No!" He said quickly, louder then he meant to, "I mean, if you want to but I, I really want to thank you for last night. That was the most fun I've had in a really long time." He added it suddenly, "If you come to the shoot with me, we can hang out together a little longer, if you want. Then we can come back here and pick up where we left off."

She was holding his hoody to her chest, staring at him wide-eyed, "A-are you sure? I don't want to interrupt your work or get you into any trouble,"

"You won't, and," he felt his face starting to warm, "I, really like, hanging out with you."

She felt like she was going to start crying in joy. She nodded and pulled his hoody on as she told him, "Then let's go, before you really do get into trouble."

He smiled at her, and the light shining through his eyes put the sun shame.

He grabbed his duffle, throwing his phone inside and seeing Plagg with the biggest smirk on his face. Adrien ignored him as he grabbed Marinette's hand and rushed out of the room with her as she swung her purse over her shoulder.

Gorilla was already in the foyer waiting on him, a serious look in his eyes as he looked between them. Adrien apologized and they left quickly. Marinette pulled out her pigtails in the car and started combing her fingers through the tangles.

"I'm sorry, I should have grabbed you a brush." Adrien said as he watched her.

"No it's okay, it's not that bad really." She started French braiding her hair on either side of her head, connecting them into one braid over her left shoulder.

Adrien looked stunned, "W-wow, you did that so fast."

She chuckled, "The perks of doing your hair on the run one too many times."

He had done something similar to his own hair, just running his fingers through it to get it somewhat under control. The stylists would change everything once he got there anyways.

When they pulled up to Gabriel, he was due to be on set in five minutes. Marinette told him as they ran into the building, "Kinda makes you wish we could use Shunpo huh?"

He threw her a smirk, "Every day."

They shared a soft laugh as they entered the elevator. When they reached the right floor, they took off running down the long hall until Adrien threw open a set of double doors, saying it quickly, "I'm here! I'm here," he leaned on his knee's, trying to catch his breath, and heard Jean Luc clicking his teeth, "Two minutes to spare Adrien. Make-up is already waiting for you and, oh, who's this?"

Adrien looked up and saw Marinette taking slightly more even breaths then he was, "Oh, this is my friend Marinette. She's going to hang out here today."

"Friend hmm." Jean Luc said unconvinced, "Very well, mademoiselle if you promise not to be in the way,"

"I won't I swear!" She said quickly.

He nodded at her and then she watched Adrien disappear into a side room after giving her a reassuring smile.

She watched the few people who were around setting up a small set that looked like a forest. Jean Luc was idly fiddling with his camera when Adrien walked out about half an hour later.

He was dressed in what was no doubt a prince inspired outfit. The quarter-sleeve black button up had soft white billowing fabric going down where it tied at his wrists. The dark blue cape over his shoulders had white shoulder pads with small tied fringes. It was tied into place by three rows of double, gold chains. The cape had a tall collar, but didn't go higher then his chin. The short ascot at his neck was only slightly fluffed out but was otherwise hanging loosely. There was an old fashioned gold pendent pinned on the ascot that had the silhouette of woman's face.

He looked every bit the prince that Marinette imagined him to be.

She watched the photo shoot in a state of bliss. Not only was she getting the chance to watch how they were done, but she was here with Adrien because he wanted her to be there. Every few shots he would look her way, and she would smile brighter.

Having her around was as natural as breathing. Her presence alone made this one of the best shoots he had ever done. He felt like he was working extra hard without trying, wanting to make sure that brightness never left her eyes.

He had never felt so torn, but he did know that the last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt Marinette.

When they finally broke for lunch, Adrien asked her curious, "Is it as glamorous as you thought it would be?"

She said it full of joy, "No, it is better! Thank you so much for inviting me Adrien. I've learned so much already, and you look amazing. I wish I could have your level of confidence in front of a camera."

He smiled at her gently, "Trust me, you do not want to be on the receiving end of hundreds of pictures while toasting under hot lights." He pulled the ascot looser around his neck, "Especially while dressed in heavy clothes."

She studied him quickly, walking around him once before she started readjusting some things. He didn't say anything as she lifted his arms up. He stayed still, wanting to know what she was going to do. He was blushing slightly from the contact, but could blame that on the clothes themselves.

She smiled as she finished her adjustments, "There, is that any cooler?"

He moved around slightly, and said it shocked, "Actually, yes. You are a genius."

She giggled and his heart did another of those pleasant uneven trips, "I may have designed a thing or two, here and there."

He matched her soft laugh, and his phone pinged suddenly. He pulled it from where his bag was sitting next to her and frowned, "Aw man, that really sucks."

She asked worried, "What's wrong?"

He held up his phone and showed her the article title, "Confirmed Cancellation."

She said it disappointed, "Oh no, they really are cancelling it?"

He sighed heavily, "It is officially, official. We aren't getting a final season."

She felt the weight of her stomach instantly, twisting and turning and gnawing in disappointment.

This was how Chat felt when he found out about it possibly happening. He's probably going to have a complete breakdown when he sees the news that it's official.

Marinette and Adrien stared at each other in hurt, their disappointment clear.

Marinette actually felt tears in her eyes, "I, I feel like I'm going to cry."

The tears fell as she said it and Adrien pulled her into a tight hug, "Me too. It happens sometimes but, it still sucks."

"Yeah." She whispered, controlling herself as they pulled away from each other.

Everyone's phone's started going off at once. There was no doubt in Marinette or Adrien's mind about what that could mean.

Akuma Alert.

Marinette pulled her phone and Adrien leaned over to see what he already knew it was. They saw the alert come up with a small map of the akuma's location.

Adrien said it lightly, "We should be safe here. I'm, going to go change for the next set. Promise me you won't leave the building?"

She nodded instantly. She'd have to be fast about this. "Yeah of course. I, I know ladybug and Chat Noir will handle it."

They gave each other strained smiles they hoped the other one didn't notice before Adrien took off to the back room.

Marinette backed out of the room slowly, glad that everyone was calm enough to be focused on their work. She headed straight for the staircase and transformed quickly before making her way up to the rooftop. She went straight towards the screaming, and heard his voice behind her, "M'lady, you must have been close."

She smiled at him, "Hey Kitty, you too apparently."

He was next to her in seconds and they ran together towards the akuma, "What do you think we are in for this time?" He asked.

She shook her head, "Given Hawkmoth's sense of humor, who knows."

Chat told her worried, "He's been quiet the past few weeks, do you think he was planning something?"

She frowned as she threw her yo-yo towards another building, "Let's hope for the best but prepare for the worst."

He nodded and they both practically skidded to a stop as they saw what was standing in mid-air. The person was dressed in what was no doubt a Shihakushō, a white and black hollow mask over their face, with a scarily familiar, larger then they thought it would be zanpakuto in its hand.

"Is, is that," Chat asked shakily.

"Zangetsu." Ladybug muttered.

Chat's head whipped over to her, "Wait, you know what that is?"

She nodded, staring at it and his eyes widened, "THAT! That right there, over there?"

She shot him a glare, "Yes Chat. I wanted to understand what you were telling me, about why that announcement had you so down." She admitted it blushing, "I've been, watching the show, since our talk."

His ears flattened against his head, "Did you hear,"

"The cancellation. Yeah." She whispered.

"I am Soul-Reaper!" He was swinging the sword in an arc, sending out a blast of white energy. "If they want to cancel the show then fine, I'll create the ending myself!"

They watched as the energy beam hit a few people who were running. The people instantly changed. Some turned into hollows, others donned what appeared to be random outfits.

Chat leaned over the edge, his eyes filled with joy, "That's so cool! He turned them into characters from Naruto! That is definitely Sasuke and Itachi!"

Ladybug asked instantly, "Wait, you recognize those things?"

He nodded happily, "For sure! You see that guy in the blue military looking outfit with the white gloves?"

She looked over and nodded, "What about him?"

"I bet he has a temper. Hey!" Chat called out. The guy looked up and Chat asked him happily, "Point your hand away from you and snap your fingers!"

The guy asked worried, "Why?"

"Please?! We are testing a theory!" Chat asked, far more excited then he should have been.

The guy turned and moved his head to the side slightly as he held out his hand. He snapped his fingers and fire erupted outward. The guy practically fell back and Chat laughed happily, "AND HE BROUGHT ALCHEMY INTO THE MIX!"

Chat looked around quickly, he wanted to know what other things were around to see, "Oh, hey ma'am!" He actually jumped over the roof and Ladybug followed him in shock, "Chat what are you doing?"

The lady was looking down at her white and red outfit, what looked like a rapier sitting at her hip.

The lady looked at them worried, "I, feel weird. What did that akuma do to me?"

Chat smiled at her, "I think he is turning everyone into anime characters, including having their powers. Do me a favor, lift your right hand out to just below your shoulder and tap the air as if there's a button there."

She did what he asked and a menu appeared out of thin air, making Chat smile wider, "Thank you. Okay, you can tap that spot again and it will make the menu go away."

The lady asked in horror, "What was that?"

"It's from a show where players of a video game get trapped in an online virtal world. I'm pretty sure he made you the main female character Asuna." Chat explained.

There were sudden rounds of screaming again and Ladybug told Chat quickly, "Kitty, I think you need to take the lead on this one. You'll know best how to handle, all of these things."

His eyes lit up, his tail swishing back and forth, "Really? Are you sure bug?"

She nodded, "Yes. I've got your back kitty. Tell me what you think we should do."

He beamed at her, "Okay, this is going to seem a little reckless but, go with it okay?"

She frowned but nodded, already having a bad feeling about the way his eyes were twinkling in mischief.

He vaulted himself up into the air and she used her yo-yo to get back to the roof. Chat called out loudly, "HEY SOUL-REAPER! I BET YOU CAN'T HIT ME!"

Her eyes widened as Soul-Reaper turned in anger, his eyes going straight for him, "Chat Noir. Hand over your miraculous and let's let the story unfold the way it should."

Chat clicked his teeth mockingly, "You can't control the story. I mean look at you, you are obviously a Vizard but, what? No bankai? You aren't even going to be worth the time."

"You want to see it? I'll show you, BANKAI!" Soul-Reaper became covered in dense energy, and Ladybug shielded her eyes as she yelled at him, "Great going Chat!"

He was just standing there smiling, "Come on! I know you want to see it too bug."

When the guy revealed himself, his shihakushō had changed into a very familiar one, and his sword thinned to its all black version, "Tensa Zangestu."

Chat was so giddy he could barely focus, but that didn't mean he didn't have a plan.

"Not impressed." Chat said easily.

"Getsuga, Tensho!" Soul-Reaper yelled.

Chat ran towards the attack as Ladybug screamed his name, "CHAT NOIR NO!"

The energy from the attack collided with him full force. He became enveloped in the black energy and when it cleared, he was standing there in his own shihakushō, with a long white haori on. His Chat Noir paw print embellished on the back.

She smirked, shaking her head, "Of course you'd want powers yourself. You are such a dork kitty." She said as she watched, not wanting to interfere because she had no idea what he was actually doing.

Chat had his baton at his side, smiling at it. He pulled the hilt and pulled out a simple silver sword with no guard. It had turned into a zanpakuto.

She watched as he shot himself into the air with great speed, landing in front of Soul-Reaper. "Let's see if you can take me on."

Soul-Reaper huffed, "I am the strongest character in that world. You can't defeat me, Captain." The guy sneered.

"We aren't in that world, are we?" Chat chided happily.

She watched them clash, honestly fan girl-ing a little herself as she watched. Ugh, what had Chat Noir turned her into? She hit her face a few times and heard him tell her, "We could use a little luck m'lady!"

He blocked another attack and she called her Lucky Charm. A bow and arrow dropped into her hand and she asked shocked, "Really Tikki? You want me to fight with him?"

She hitched the arrows to her back and held the bow, frowning at it. As she looked around, nothing made sense or gave her any ideas.

She had no idea what to do.

"Uh, Chat, I have no idea what this is!" She yelled out to him.

He pushed Soul-Reaper back and was standing in front of her protectively in seconds. He looked at the bow for a few seconds and laughed, "I'm almost positive you are going to hate me for this."

She glared at him as she asked, "Why?"

"Just take it bug." He said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Just take what?" She asked quickly.

He pushed her forward and stood behind her, holding her in place. She had barely realized that a burst of black energy was coming her way before it was hitting her.

She felt the rush of power flow over her. When it cleared, she wasn't in a shihakushō like Chat was. She was in something similar though. The top of her outfit was white, and she was in long red pants. Her bow took on a reddish black tint, and her hair had been pulled back into a single low ponytail.

She stared at her outfit confused, "Uhh, okay."

Chat was staring at her grinning madly, "Yes! I knew it! HA!" He turned and pointed towards Soul-Reaper. "Now it's over. BANKAI!"

Another wrap of power engulfed him, and she saw that his zanpakuto-baton had turned into a thin silver sword. She asked him confused, "And what exactly is your bankai kitty?"

He smirked, "I only have one real power m'lady. Cataclysm!"

The blade of the sword changed into a twisted tri-blade that looked like claws. It sparked through with black static, the familiar black static of Cataclysm.

Chat told her, "Shoot straight at the sword. I'm pretty sure that's where the akuma is."

He took off in a blast of power and automatically her hand moved to grab an arrow. She set it expertly, knowing it wasn't her own ability to use a bow and arrow.

She tried to time it just right. As Chat lifted the tri-blade to strike against Tensa Zangetsu, she let the arrow fly. It was surrounded in a spiral of red and that looked like it had black spots.

The arrow hit the sword, causing a sharp crack. Chat's sword dealt the final blow, and shattered the sword from there. The akuma flew out and she let loose another arrow, watching the akuma become purified at the contact. She threw the bow up into the air, calling for the miraculous ladybugs. She was relieved that they appeared, and everyone who had been affected reverted back.

Chat was dropping next to her as the little ladybugs reached him, returning him to being his normal Chat Noir self.

Chat had a quick conversation with the guy who had been akumatized, seeming to console him slightly before he walked off.

Chat was still smiling happily when he walked over to her, "That was so much fun."

She laughed slightly, "You are one of the biggest dorks I have ever met. You'd give the boy I'm in love with a run for his money. I hope you two never meet."

Chat looked at her curiously, "The boy you love, he likes anime?"

She said it somewhat proud, "Actually he is obsessed. You should see the wall in his room. Ten feet high, and full of anime and manga like there is no tomorrow. It's like an anime heaven library."

He stared at her for a few seconds before asking, "You've, been in his room?"

She blushed slightly, "He had the last few seasons I couldn't find online, so we are watching them together."

He blinked a few times, putting his hand on either side of her face as he stared into her eyes, whispering to himself, "That's, but no I, I can see it. It makes sense. Like a perfect dream."

Her earrings started to beep and she pulled away from him slowly, "Kitty, you okay?"

He nodded, "Y-yeah. You should go bug."

She hesitated before hugging him tightly, "You aren't ever going to have to face things alone. I'll never let that happen."

He hugged her back, "Don't pull an Orihime on me bug. Not ever. I'd dive head first into Heuco Mundo to get you back, every time."

She tightened her hold slightly, "I know. You and me against the world kitty, remember?"

He pulled back and smiled shyly, "You and me against the world."

His ring started to beep and her earrings beeped again. Reluctantly they separated. She made a B-line for Gabriel, not noticing how Chat was taking only a slightly rounder route, watching her on his baton. When the ladybug icon disappeared inside of Gabriel, he knew the truth that she had let slip.

He made his way towards Gabriel quickly, barely making it back into his dressing room when his transformation dropped. He changed quickly into the second suit, throwing off the other clothes.

He was giving Plagg another piece of cheese when there was a knock, "Hey Adrien, are you okay in there?"

His heart did a soft flip and he opened the door, Marinette standing there looking worried.

She looked at him, only at him. Her eyes were worried, but in them, he saw everything he had been denying.

Ladybug had been right.

In one look, without a word being said, he knew exactly how she felt, and he knew that he felt the same.

"Adrien?" She asked softly.

He blinked and smiled at her, "I'm fine. Sorry. I'm taking forever aren't I?"

He wasn't referring to getting dressed. He wondered just how long he had kept her waiting. Just how long she had kept her feelings down in front of him, that he had been too blind to see.

She smiled slyly, not catching the undercurrent tone in his voice to what he was really saying, "Just a little mister model."

He walked out with her back into the shoot, going through the motions mechanically. Every time he looked at her, she was smiling at him as though she didn't see anyone else. He knew he didn't.

When Jean Luc was finally satisfied, Adrien left the set to change back into his hoody and jeans.

Plagg asked smirking, "You are entirely too happy kitten."

"She's Ladybug, isn't she Plagg?" He asked straight out.

Plagg turned his back on him, "You know I can't tell you. You want the truth, ask her."

"She'll deny it." He said knowingly.

"So would you." Plagg reminded him.

"Is this what you were talking about last night, about the cost of hurting the beautiful heart in front of me?" He asked.

Plagg stayed silent and he smiled brightly, not really needing the confirmation anymore than that.

He walked back out and saw Jean Luc talking excitedly to Marinette. He interrupted them gently, "Marinette, are you starving yet?"

She looked over him and nodded, "Absolutely."

He held out his hand for hers, "Let's go."

He saw her blushing, her hand lifted but she hesitated. When he smiled at her, she smiled back still blushing, but took his hand. They walked hand in hand to the car, neither of them saying a word the entire drive back to the mansion.

Adrien wasn't sure how he was going to breach the topic, or how he was going find a way to get his stubborn bugaboo to admit the truth. He would find a way though. Somehow.

And as he looked over at her lovingly, he knew that he would do whatever it took to get her to see how easily she had a hold on his heart. He would take as long as he had to, to prove that he loved her for who she was. He would try to make up for never realizing that his heart had been behind him all this time. And most importantly, he would do everything within his power to show her every day until the end of time that his love for her was without equal.

"Adrien, are you coming with me?" She asked teasing, opening the car door.

He followed her out of the car and said it to himself as she walked up the stairs, "Even into the depths of Hueco Mundo itself, I'd follow you anywhere m'lady."

He would think of a way to ease the truth into her somehow, but for today, he was just going to enjoy falling in love her all over again.

* * *

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**Au Revoir for now!**


	14. Nonsensical Motivation

**Hey everyone! Whoo I am on a roll today! See what happens when I finally get a day off? Chapters, chapters posting all day!**

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**Day 16 - Nonsensical Motivation**

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"All of you are ridiculous." Ladybug said sternly, shaking her head at the idiots lined up in a row. Viperion patted her arm in comfort, but agreed with her, "That they are."

Pegasus laughed softly from next to them, "Well, it was this or a full out fight LB."

"Which I would have been okay with." Chat Noir said, stretching lightly as though he didn't have a care in the world. He was one of the idiots lined up.

Rena smirked next to him, "Me too. I've been doing this long enough."

Chat said it challenging, "But I've still been doing it longer."

King Monkey was jumping up and down lightly in place, rolling his shoulders, "But I'm the most agile and we all know it."

Chat scoffed and Tigerlilly said it smirking, her purple eyes gleaming, "Cats are more agile than monkeys banana brains."

Tigerlilly and Chat shared a laugh, Bunnyx interrupting, "But rabbits are known for their speed."

Carapace looked at Ladybug curious, "Are we really sure about this LB?"

Ladybug said it instantly, "No. I think this is the most ridiculous thing we've ever done."

Miss Mouse laughed softly next to her, "I'm sure that's true."

Setta shot her hand into the air, her little pig ears flapping slightly, "Oh, oh, LB, LB!"

Ladybug smiled at her, "You don't have to do that Setta."

Setta smiled at her brightly, "Are we allowed to use our powers?"

She glanced around at the team of Miraculous holders lined up near the edge of Montparnasse Tower. Thinking about the amount of damage that could really be done.

Chat's cataclysm was a problem, but she knew he wouldn't resort to using it.

Rena had Mirage, but that was just an illusion so that would be safe.

Tigerlilly's ability was to freeze time around a certain area as long as she had the will to hold it, again not a potential issue.

Manticore had Rage, the ability to absorb and collect momentum, and concentrate it in his fist for an attack. Potential issue but given the soft inner heart of the bull miraculous holder, she wasn't worried.

Bunnyx time jumping could be cheating if she used it.

King Monkey could only disrupt the other holders' powers, it wasn't a danger to civilians.

Setta had the pig Miraculous, which could collectively link the minds of the other holders. She didn't know what Rose was planning, or how she would use it against them, but even that wasn't a real problem either.

Ladybug looked at Pegasus, and he smirked knowingly, "Potential damage to the city is less than a ten percent chance. It should be fine. Chat has enough experience with Cataclysm to pinpoint direct it. Manticore's chance of using Rage is less then three percent. Bunnyx however,"

Bunnyx said it sternly, "I'm not using my power. Period. It's cheating. When I win, I'll do it on my own."

"IF you win." King Monkey taunted, "But I'll always be King."

Ladybug shook her head again, "All right. I can't believe we are doing this. I want all of you to know that this is a blatant misuse of your Miraculous. Chat Noir."

Chat looked at her in shock, "Why'd you single me out for bugaboo!"

"IT WAS YOUR IDEA!" She yelled sternly, holding up her hand before he could say anything else.

"Yes, you can use your powers, but remember that once you do your timer will start to run out. If you de-transform before you reach the goal, you're out. Carapace, Pegasus, and Viperion will be patrolling the area to make sure things don't get out of hand."

She pointed across town, "The Louvre is your midway checkpoint. There you will collect a small clone of Miss Mouse," Miss Mouse waved at everyone shyly, "and escort said clone to your destination, the top of the Eiffel Tower." She pointed over to the Tower and sighed, "The first one there wins. Take any route you want, but if you come to the tower without a clone, your win is null and void."

Everyone nodded seriously, and they all got ready. She looked down the line, wondering how it was going to go.

Bunnyx was at the edge, then Manticore to her left. Tigerlilly was next, then Setta, then Chat Noir. King Monkey was to his left, and Rena Rouge was at the far end.

Ladybug raised her arm into the air. Viperion and Cap took off first, getting ready to watch from the sidelines. She gave them a few minutes head start before saying it, "On 'Go'. Ready, Set," she waited three seconds, "GO!"

Everyone took off, Ladybug watching them spread out slightly as they vaulted and leapt across the rooftops.

She sighed heavily, "Ready Pegasus?"

He nodded, "Voyage!" He opened a portal to the Louvre and Miss Mouse walked through, asking them lightly, "Let me know who wins!"

The portal closed and Pegasus asked her, "Who do you think wants it more?"

Ladybug told him seriously, "I don't think they realize how Chat gets sometimes."

"He IS the fastest. They all know that. He knows the city rooftop layout better because he's run them longer too." He said simply.

She heard the undercurrent there as a crash sounded in the distance, "But?"

"But," Pegasus said smirking as he looked towards the Louvre, "I think YOU underestimate how strongly they each want to win. Yes the prize is coveted, but most of them are out to prove something. That they weren't the wrong choice."

She told him easily, "They weren't. None of them. I'd choose them over and over again, every time."

Pegasus nodded, "I know, which is why I didn't feel the need to be involved."

There was another loud crash, and a distinctive high-pitched screech that could only be made by one pink-clad hero.

"Go ahead and recharge, and then you can join the watch for the second half if you want. I'll head to the tower on my own." Ladybug told him.

Pegasus nodded, "See you soon LB."

She took off towards the tower, stopping once she got there when she heard her name, "Ladybug! Ladybug!"

She jumped down and saw Officer Roger waving at her frantically, "Officer Roger, is everything okay?"

He pointed towards the Louvre, "Are you aware that your team is battling across town? I've already had multiple reports that says it looks like the entire team is out fighting against each other."

She held in her sigh, "Yes, I know everyone is out, but they aren't outright fighting." She lied slightly, but it was technically also true, "We are running a training exercise. No one is in any danger, I promise. The ones with a little more experience are watching the sidelines. No one is going to get hurt." Well, no civilians anyways.

"You better be right." He called it in, letting the police know that the Miraculous kids were 'training'.

She rolled her eyes but took off towards the top of the tower. Prize in hand.

She kept her eyes constantly moving, waiting to see who was in the lead.

Every few minutes she heard a series of crashes. Not even wanting to know who was causing them or how.

Two sets of shadows were suddenly heading her way and she smirked.

She should have known.

…

Chat Noir felt his muscles tense. He was going to win. Nothing was going to stop him from getting the prize.

"GO!" Ladybug called.

The race was on.

He vaulted over and almost immediately took a slight lead, but King Monkey, Rena, and Bunnyx were on his tail.

Rena called up to him after a minute when she started to close the gap, "Getting kinda slow there alley cat. You losing your edge already?"

He smirked, letting out a single laugh, "Ha! I just don't want to embarrass you too much fox. Where's the fun in winning without a little competition?"

"I'll give you competition Chat."

Chat looked to the side and saw Manticore, swinging his large club in his direction. His eyes widened as he jumped up and rolled, the club causing the ground around them to shake and throw him off balance.

King Monkey got ahead of him, "Not leading so much now are you?"

Chat groaned, ducking another swing from Manticore's club before pulling out his baton and blocking it, "Impressive strength, as always."

Manticore smirked, "Appreciate it."

Setta said it happily as she passed them, "Have fun fighting!"

They pushed away from each other, realizing they had been in this one spot for too long, and took off running again. Bunnyx and Tigerlilly were exchanging blows between Bunnyx's umbrella and Tigerlilly's staff.

Chat leapt over them, rolling with his momentum and was back on his feet in seconds.

There was the sound of another crash ahead of him, and he saw King Monkey flying back into a building, Rena laughing loudly, "That's what you get monkey brains!" She took off before Chat could catch up, and King Monkey said it loudly, "THAT'S A FOUL!"

Chat laughed, hearing Viperion tell him, "LB said powers were allowed. It's not her fault you weren't paying attention."

He was closing the gap to Rena, asking loudly, "What did you do to the Monkey King?"

Rena barely looked back, "He tried to side-swipe me, so I jumped up on his staff and sent him flying like a home-run ball."

Chat asked in shock, "With your flute?!"

"Impressed aren't you Chat?" She said smugly.

"And fearful. I'd hate to see what you would do if you had one of these." He extended his baton and caught right in between her feet. She tripped and cursed him as he passed her, "CHEAT!"

"It's called utilizing your resources fox!" He said happily.

It didn't take him long to catch up to Setta. He heard her small squeak when she realized he was behind her. He felt what was going to happen next more then saw it. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. His skin started to prickle, and a shot of adrenaline coursed through him, screaming at him to be ready.

Setta was so focused on where Chat was behind her that she wasn't paying attention to where she was leaping. He picked up his speed instantly, hearing her piercing scream as she misjudged the distance, and went plummeting down.

He felt like he was flying. He jumped down after her, his heart racing as he crashed into her. He slammed his baton on the ground, both of them jerking slightly before being vaulted straight up into the air and back to the rooftops.

He set her down carefully, asking worried, "Setta, you okay?"

She was nodding vigorously, tears in her eyes, "Oh yes, yes I'm okay Chat Noir. I'm so sorry. I thought I could make it I,"

"No don't worry. I'm glad you are okay." He said relieved, noting that Tigerlilly, Bunnyx, and King Monkey were passing him.

Cap dropped next to them from out of nowhere, saying it relieved, "Holy crow you scared the shell right off of me Setta. That was a great catch Chat."

He said it nodding, "Thankfully."

Setta told him quickly, "Go, I'm okay. After that though, I think I'm done."

Cap told him, "I'll watch her."

He smiled at them, telling her softly, "You did great. This is only your second time with the Miraculous so don't be too hard on yourself okay?"

She nodded, looking assured, "Thanks Kitty-cat."

He laughed to himself as he took off, using his baton in helicopter mode to try and close the distance. He was in last place right now, and that was completely unacceptable.

There were another few rounds of shaking, and he knew that he was catching up. He doubted anyone had made it to the Louvre yet. Thankfully for him, Rena was stuck trying to avoid Manticore's club the way he had earlier. He passed by them without either of them noticing.

Rena had been in the lead. That was a big change really fast.

Bunnyx and Tigerlilly were fending off King Monkey, Bunnyx telling him, "You really think you can take both of us?"

"I know I can!" King Monkey said, heading towards them again.

He was hoping to pull off the same stealth maneuver from before to get past them, but the Tiger had her eye on him in seconds.

He saw her smirk and he pulled his baton again, but after she gracefully dodged an attack from King, she took off ahead of them.

It would be a chat-speed race then huh?

That he could do.

He pushed himself further, her slight lead holding as they approached the Louvre. Miss Mouse was asking her as he dropped down, "Seriously? That's crazy."

"I know, I'm sure we are causing a scene. Whoops. Gotta go. Come on little mouse." Tigerlilly said, letting one of the small clones sit in the pocket of her jacket before telling him, "See you at the finish line."

He called back to her as she hit the first rooftop, "I'll still meet you there first don't you worry!"

Miss Mouse was already holding another clone out to him, "You know if you lose, no one is going to let you live it down."

He cringed but saluted her quickly, "Can't let that happen now can I?"

Rena and Bunnyx were racing towards Miss Mouse as he vaulted himself into the air and after Tigerlilly. He still had her in his sight when he heard it behind him, "MIRAGE!"

Tigerlilly froze in place, and he skidded to a stop next to her. There were now dozen's of Eiffel Towers scattered around.

He cursed, "Clever fox."

Tigerlilly nodded, "What do we do now? How do we find the real one?"

That was relatively easy actually. He touched her shoulder and told her softly, "Close your eyes, shut down your senses one by one. Hear the city go quiet. Don't feel the coolness of the breeze." She closed her eyes and he asked her, "Now, take a deep breath. What do you smell?"

"Camembert." She said instantly.

He couldn't help but laugh, "Sorry, my kwami's food of choice. Look further out."

She took another deep breath and said it, "Rust, a metallic smell."

He nodded, "Which direction?"

She opened her eyes and smirked, "There. It's that one."

He clapped, "Brava."

They took off and Rena called out to them, she had just started to catch up, "STUPID CATS AND YOUR STUPID SENSE OF SMELL!"

He and Tigerlilly laughed easily, "Never underestimate a cat, fox!" Chat Noir called back.

"You're too cocky Chat." Bunnyx's voice said from nearly on top of him.

He used his baton to take a swing at her, letting Tigerlilly take the lead. Rena and Bunnyx were going to try and tag team him. He could see it in their eyes. He twirled his baton and got into a stance, "You girls sure you want to do this?"

They said it together, "Definitely."

They rushed him and he had to know, "Where's Manticore and Monkey?"

He blocked them both and kicked Bunnyx back away from him before she could get behind him.

"Fighting each other." Rena said groaning, holding back his staff with her bare hands as she tried to push him back.

Bunnyx was getting back to her feet as she told him, "Monkey brains took a swing at Manticore."

"And that did it." He said knowingly, seeing both girls nod. He managed to get push Rena back just in enough time to block Bunnyx's umbrella.

"Tiger's Eye!"

Rena and Bunnyx froze in place, and he turned to see Tigerlilly staring at them. "Why did you,"

"We are a team aren't we? We are supposed to help each other when the someone is in trouble." Tigerlilly said with no hesitation.

He smiled at her, "Thank you."

She smiled and said it quickly, "I can't hold it for long. It will only give us a fifteen second lead once I look away."

"No time to waste then. Let's see which of us is faster." He said. They started from the same point and took off towards the Eiffel Tower they knew was real.

They were nearly neck and neck. Her small frame was helping her keep up with him, despite his efforts to move faster.

They reached the tower at the same time, but the climb was where he knew he would have the advantage. He had this in the bag.

…

Ladybug watched as Tigerlilly and Chat Noir dropped down and sprinted full-force towards the tower. She was impressed that Tigerlilly was able to keep up with him. She was going to have to ask about the details of the race later, see what really needed to be worked on.

She watched as they started to scale the tower beams. It was going to be close.

Her eyes widened as Chat's foot slipped off one of the beams, catching himself and getting upright in seconds.

But seconds was all Tigerlilly needed.

She jumped onto the platform and presented her clone, "Tigerlilly wins!" Ladybug said happily.

Chat jumped up next to her, looking defeated, "Of course my luck would ruin my chances. Figures."

Ladybug called Carapace first, letting him know to let everyone know that the race was over. They had a winner.

They didn't have to wait long before all the holder's were back together again, almost all of them scowling in their defeat.

Rena was pouting, but took great satisfaction in knowing that Chat Noir had lost.

She handed the box in her hands to Tigerlilly, telling her happily, "One box of homemade Ladybug macaroons."

The racers all groaned.

"That's so unfair." Rena pouted.

"I want a rematch." King Monkey said.

"Next time we should do teams." Manticore suggested.

"I had fun." Setta put in happily.

"I'm going to dream about those macaroons." Bunnyx said holding her stomach sadly.

Chat told them sincerely, "Everyone has gotten better at using their Miraculous though, so that's win in my book."

Carapace nudged Chat's arm, saying it teasing, "You're just saying that because you lost first."

Viperion was shaking his head, "A powered up, giant race around Paris, for Ladybug Macaroons."

Pegasus said it easily, "People have been motivated for less."

Viperion smiled, "Oh they were motivated all right."

Tigerlilly was smiling brightly, "I never win anything. This is great."

Rena pointed at her, "You better enjoy that box."

Tigerlilly opened the box and smelled it, thoroughly annoying the losers of the race, "Every second of it."

Ladybug laughed and reminded them, "I told you guys I could make more. It's not that hard."

They all started joking around for a few more minutes before they scattered, most of them needing to leave before their transformations fell.

Ladybug and Chat Noir were left alone on top of the Eiffel Tower, not that either of them minded.

As night settled and she leaned on his arm, staring out into the city she loved, she asked curious, "Kitty?"

"Hmm?" He muttered contently.

"You've climbed this tower hundreds of times. You know every nook and cranny from top to bottom." She stated simply.

He put his head on top of hers, running his thumb up and down her hand, "True."

She sat up and looked into his eyes, seeing him smiling gently. This cat.

"You let Tigerlilly win didn't you?" She said already knowing the answer.

"She used her power to hold Rena AND Bunnyx frozen when they tried to tag team me. She said, we're a team. We are supposed to help each other. She could have taken off to the tower on her own, but she didn't. She chose to stay and help a friend instead. That was more important to me then anything."

She couldn't help herself. She kissed him strongly, but after a few seconds he pulled away laughing, "I'll lose more often if that's my reward."

"You, are amazing." She told him lovingly, seeing him blush slightly, "I knew there was no way you would have slipped. The few times I've ever seen you lose your balance, an akuma was the cause of it. You lay on the thin railing on my balcony without teetering. And you know this tower better than I do sometimes."

He said it instantly, "She needed the confidence boost. I was happy to do what I could." He started to smirk, "Besides, I can get as many Marinette macaroons as I want anytime I want."

He winked at her and she pushed his arm lightly, "Plagg is starting to rub off on you. You are still a model, mister glutton."

He rubbed his nose against hers lightly, "I burn five times as many calories as a normal person bug. I'll never lose this body to macaroons."

She laughed, "They sure are a great motivator though."

"Speaking of motivation." He said teasingly, a challenging grin on his face.

She smirked and stood, "You sure about this kitty? You've already lost once today. I don't want to wound your pride."

He stood and put his arms around her waist, "You won't. Kiss for good luck?"

She rolled her eyes but kissed him lightly. They got into a stance and she told him, "The usual wager then?"

He nodded instantly, "You know it bugaboo. Ready?"

"Set." She said instantly.

They yelled it at the same time, taking off towards her balcony, "Go!"

* * *

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**As always feel free to comment and review! They really keep me going!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	15. Fame for the Mundane

**Hey everyone! So truth be told, I used the prompt to make fluff happen. Am I sorry? No, no I am not. **

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! ^-^**

**Also, I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!**

**Day 17 - Fame for the Mundane**

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"Over three-million hits that's awesome!" Adrien said over the phone, re-watching the music video Nino had posted exactly one week ago. The video was viral for sure. How could it not be?

Nino had mixed the song, recorded the clips, and edited it all together. Alya had only done a few critiques for it overall, knowing that Nino had wanted to do it on his own.

Adrien was shaking his head as he started the video over. He couldn't get enough of it.

"Dude I know its like, mondo-crazy! And the comments, of course some people are assholes, but for the most part everyone thinks its great!" Nino said excitedly.

Adrien smirked to himself, "Hey did you see those back to back comments from BlackSpottedRedLady and GreenEyedBlackChat?"

"Wait what, hold on," he heard Nino scrolling quickly and his voice dropped, "Holy hell, you don't think, no, that couldn't be, Ladybug and Chat Noir? DUDE that would be so awesome if it was!"

Adrien knew for a fact that it was. The little ladybug signature at the end of her comment was the telltale sign. So OF COURSE, he had to respond too.

"Hey you never know. That means even super-heroes have taken the time to watch your video." Adrien told him proudly.

"I'm never going to be able to thank you and Marinette enough for doing that dance sequence. Sorry I asked you both to wear masks. Marinette's been on TV, and won a few of your dad's contests, AND designed Jagged's Album cover. I just, didn't want anyone liking it just because you two were in it you know?" Nino said somewhat guiltily.

He laughed calmly, "Don't worry about it. We were happy to do it, and trust me; the masks were a brilliant idea. I probably never would have been able to be part of it otherwise. Part of the comment war going on too is who the people are underneath the masks."

Nino laughed nervously, "Yeah, but that was the idea. I guess that's what happens when you have superheroes going around in masks all the time. Everyone wants to know who they are, and at least Chat Noir does too on the hero's side, but that tension is real bro. That song has been going through my head for ages."

"Its amazing Nino. It really is. It captures everything about Ladybug and Chat Noir that makes them who they are." Adrien admitted. That was probably why he was so addicted to the song.

Its tune pulled at his heart, even more when watching the dance sequence. It was the irony of what their life was like. Dancing, circling each other endlessly, pulling each other in, just to separate again. Each pull they would get closer, but they would separate farther each time too. When they fought their hearts were one, dancing to the same tune. But after, the tempo would change, just enough to knock them off balance and separate. No matter how close they got.

He sighed heavily, one day, their dance would be over and everything would work out the way it was supposed to. He had to have hope that it did.

He really loved that small bit at the end of the song. That's what had given him hope. He hadn't even known that they had done it. Marinette removed the mask after a shot of him walking away. You get a close up of the mask in her hand, before all you get is a close up of her eyes, a single tear falling down her face.

That part had people talking too, about what the two dancers's really meant to each other.

He sighed again.

"Dude, you sound like you are sulking over there." Nino said suddenly.

"Sulking doesn't have a sound Nino." Adrien said rolling his eyes, Plagg shaking his head from on top of his precious Camembert stash.

"It does when you do it." Nino imitated his long drawn out sigh.

"I don't sound like that." Adrien said offended.

"Dude you totally do. Like a lovesick girl. Why don't you just ask her out and save us all from your misery?" Nino asked, leaning back on his computer chair with a smile as he read more of the comments.

"Marinette doesn't like me that way, and you know how I feel about,"

"Ladybug. Bro, she's out of your league. No offense."

"No, that's not offensive at all." Adrien added sarcastically.

"She's a superhero dude." Nino continued like he hadn't heard him, "One of THE superheroes. Besides, you know how protective a certain black cat is over 'his lady'," Adrien could literally hear the air quotes, "and even if she were going to date someone publically it would be him. Bringing a civilian into the mix would be too dangerous."

Adrien hated how right Nino was.

"Yeah, I know." He ran his hand through his hair frustrated, "Ugh, I don't know. Maybe, I'll, talk to her, or, something. She needs to know though. The only reason I'm trying so hard not to be in love with her,"

"Which you already are." Nino said easily.

"IS BECAUSE," Adrien said, ignoring the comment this time, "I don't know if I can let go of Ladybug."

Nino hummed appreciatively before telling him in his serious voice, "Look Adrien," uh oh, Nino used his real name, "I know you have feelings for Ladybug that are more than just a crush. I get that, so I want you to hear me out."

Nino let out a soft sigh, "Don't you think it's weird that you spend more than half of your energy pushing down your feelings for Marinette? That you feel like you have to push them down at all? Why would you be putting so much effort into making yourself miserable, if you would just turn and look at the girl behind you, and I mean really look at her? You said you know what it makes you feel like to be around her, but have you ever wondered what it's like for her to be around you? Maybe, and again hear me out, she does things she doesn't normally."

Adrien thought about it, about how he would get around Ladybug sometimes when she actually flirted back with him.

Nino sighed and told him, "Just, pay attention bro. It's obvious when you think about it."

He shook himself out of his thoughts, "But that's what I mean Nino. If she liked me it should be obvious. Sometimes I feel like Marinette forces herself to talk to me. She's so confident all the time but with me she can barely have a conversation. I've even seen how great her balance actually is in gym, but it seems like she is always falling anyways."

Nino laughed, "Closer."

Adrien frowned, pulling up a few of the pictures he had of Marinette with their friends. As he scrolled, he noticed that in some of the pictures, he was looking at her with a soft look in his eyes while she smiled at the camera. In others, she was looking at him, with that same soft look in her eyes.

He found one that Alya had taken of the two of them together, hugging. He couldn't see his own face, but hers was clear. Her eyes were closed and she had a gentle smile on her face, her blush clear in the picture.

He had never noticed that before. Why would she have been blushing?

Then something clicked as he stared at the picture Alya had sent him after the whole, Star Train incident. He and Marinette were leaned against each other, sound asleep, and both of them were smiling.

Could it really be possible?

She gets so nervous that she stutters, or gets so distracted that she trips. Was that really, "Nino. I'm an idiot aren't I?"

Nino laughed loudly, "Yeah bro. The biggest. Why are you asking though?"

He sent Nino the picture he was looking at and heard him laugh again, "Ah, Star Train. All of the girls were practically swooning when Alya took this picture."

"We were both asleep, and yet, we were both smiling. Like, it was natural to be together. Like,"

Nino asked encouragingly when he hesitated, "Like?"

"We were, I have to call you back." He heard Nino bust out laughing, yelling good luck as he hung up on him.

He called Marinette right away, knowing if he didn't do this right now, he was going to chicken out.

She answered and her face came on screen, but she was staring at whatever she was working on, "Hey, what's up?"

"Not much, um, I wanted to ask you something, but if you're busy it can wait," he said already feeling defeated.

He head snapped up and her eyes widened, "ADRIEN!" She fell back out of her chair and he asked quickly, "Marinette! Marinette are you okay?"

He could hear her voice, "No, no I'm fine. I'm so sorry, I thought you were Alya. She was supposed to be coming over today to," she reappeared shaking her head, "N-never mind. It's not important. W-what's up? Is everything okay?"

She leaned on her hand, a strained smile on her face. Her cheeks were dusted pink.

"I don't want to bother you if you are busy." He said quickly, trying to ease the tension he could see in her eyes.

"No, you couldn't bother me if you tried." She said, waving her hand dismissively.

"Oh, good, I, this is, I mean I'm not sure how to get this out." He said, feeling like an idiot for tripping over his words.

He saw her frown slightly and she asked seriously, "Really, are you okay? Do you need anything?"

He smiled at her. That was one of the reasons he had started falling in love with her. She was willing to do anything and help anyone who needed it, without a second thought.

"I'm okay I, would it help if I told you I'm, a little embarrassed?" He admitted.

She looked shocked, "You? Why? It's just me. You can talk to me Adrien, about anything I promise. I won't say a word to anyone, not even Alya if you don't want me to." She reassured him.

He stared at her face, knowing she meant it.

"I know. It's not anything bad, I feel like an idiot but,"

"You are not an idiot Adrien." She said defensively.

"Thanks." He said smiling, "But I am. I realized something, and," crap he couldn't get the words to form, "Have you ever pushed down your feelings for someone you love so much that it makes you sick to your stomach? That, you know crossing that line will change things, but things are good the way they are, so you are too scared to move, so you suffer in silence?"

He watched her eyes widen slightly before she looked away from the screen, "How you just want them to be happy no matter what, to see them smiling despite everything, even if it means being miserable all alone. Yeah, yeah I know exactly what you mean."

"You do?" He asked shocked.

She nodded again and he wanted to know, he needed to know, "Marinette, if I asked,"

A loud crash shook the house and he held onto the desk as it settled after a few seconds, asking right away, "Did you feel that just now?"

She nodded, "Yes I felt it here. Are you okay?"

"Fine. You?"

"I'm okay."

He told her sternly, "Don't leave the house. It's probably an akuma."

She smiled, "I was going to tell you that, but hey I need to go check on my parents. We'll talk later?" She asked unsure.

He said it seriously, "Absolutely." They hung up and he transformed quickly before taking off. The giant rumbling was actually a giant baby August walking around again. Thankfully he knew that August liked him and would chase him for a while, at least until Ladybug showed up.

He got the giant baby's attention and August started following him instantly, thankfully getting him away from the river.

Ladybug showed up minutes later, and together they defeated baby August yet again.

They pounded it, and searched around for August's mother, whom they found frantically searching for him.

He hadn't had to use Cataclysm at all, and Ladybug hadn't had to resort to using Lucky Charm either.

He could say that he was a little surprised when she caught his wrist, "Hey Kitty, can I talk to you, since we have a little time?"

He nodded immediately, "Of course."

They lifted themselves into the air and found a secluded rooftop.

Ladybug was pacing in front of him, which was odd. She usually resigned her frantic pacing for when she was trying to think quickly on how to defeat an akuma. With no threat, it seemed out of place.

"M'lady?" He asked carefully after a minute when she still hadn't said a word.

She stopped and looked at him, "Sorry I, I'm a little distracted. You've seen that viral music video that came out right? By Nino Lahiffe?"

He smiled brightly, "Only a thousand times already." He started to smirk, "Why do you ask?"

She rubbed her arm awkwardly, "I know I'm usually against doing this, but, and you can tell me that I'm being ridiculous. It is ridiculous. I shouldn't even be suggesting it but,"

"Bugaboo." He said trying not to laugh, "You're ranting."

She took a deep breath and tried again, "Did you feel like, that song was meant for us?"

His breath caught and he couldn't help but look away. He did feel like that, and he knew that Nino had based the song around them. He couldn't admit that without giving himself away though.

"I did." He said softly.

She caught his slip right away, "You did, but don't anymore?"

He tried to correct himself, "I mean I do, feel like it's based on us. I've listened to the song over and over again all week, and every time it draws me in. That dance sequence,"

"Hurts my heart." She filled in for him, making him nod.

"I know you don't feel that way about me. I know we are partners and we have a job that only we can do but," he finally faced her, holding her eyes, "I want to let someone in. Someone I trust with all my heart. Someone who can dance that song with me, knowing that this mask is more of who I am than the mask I wear outside of being Chat Noir. Is that, wrong of me?"

She closed the small gap between them, hugging him tightly, "No, it's not wrong. You deserve to be happy Kitty. If she will make you happy, then you should go for it. You are always going to be my partner, and I am always going to love you, no matter what."

He hugged her tighter, feeling a weight being lifted off of his shoulders, "Thank you bug."

She kissed his cheek before telling him, "You don't need my permission, so you don't have anything to thank me for." She rubbed her hand through his wild hair before telling him, "Make sure she understands though, that if she is going to know that you are Chat Noir,"

"I don't want to keep secrets from her, and I trust her bug. I'm going to tell her, but I know we'll be okay. She's one of the only people I know who has never been akumatized before. She's too strong willed to let Hawkmoth influence her." He said easily.

Ladybug smiled, "She sounds wonderful, but still, be careful Kitty. I don't know what I would do without you."

He kissed her forehead, "I'll always be here when you need me. THAT, will never change."

They heard Nino's song playing and peeked over the rooftop before laughing, "Guess it really is everywhere." He said.

She nodded, "It's a great song."

"Ladybug is that you?!"

She looked down and saw Nino and Alya staring up at them. She looked at Chat and they jumped down together.

Ladybug asked instantly, "You're Nino Lahiffe right? That song is absolutely amazing."

"I have been listening to it all week and I love it." Chat said quickly.

Nino had wide eyes as he stared between them, "Y-you love it? You both really love it?"

She nodded, "What's not to love? It was really well done and pulls at my heart. It's beautiful."

Chat nodded, "Can I ask, was that song directed at us by any chance?"

Alya elbowed Nino who started nodding, "Y-yeah. The more I watched you guys, the more I heard this song in my head just playing, adding to it whenever something changed, good or bad."

Ladybug touched Nino on the shoulder, "It's perfect. Even that dance sequence."

"Yeah, that was awesome." Chat added.

"Two of our friends were the ones dancing in the video." Alya told them, making Nino laugh as he explained a little more, "Yeah. They have been dancing circles around each other forever. They both mean so much to each other, and yet are both being miserable for no reason."

Chat said it quickly, "Hey who knows, maybe things will change?"

Ladybug said it somewhat defeated, "Or maybe they won't? The girl is crying at the end as the guy is walking away."

Chat asked curious, "How did you get her to cry like that for the shot? I always wondered how people cry on demand that way."

Nino glanced at Alya before telling them, "She, wasn't faking. The guy in the video, he's my best bro, and I think he finally realizes how much she actually means to him, but when we recorded that, he hadn't yet. I caught that by accident, so I had to edit a lot to make sure her face wasn't seen."

Alya nodded solemnly, "She's loved him for so long but, the song must have really reached her because watching him walk away after that dance truly broke her heart." Alya sighed, "She feels like that's their fate. He's never going to see her for who she really is, and she is going to be left staring after him until he disappears."

Chat felt his heart squeeze in his chest, "That's, I hope that's not the case."

Ladybug nodded, her voice changing into a more excited tone, not so subtly changing the subject, "Hey since we are here, can we get a picture with you Nino?"

Nino's jaw dropped, "YOU want a picture with ME?"

Chat instantly pulled out his baton, trying not to let his guilt eat at him right now, "Ooo great idea bug, me too! But really quick, I have to go soon."

Nino asked sheepishly, "Are you sure I mean, I'm nothing special."

"You wrote the most amazing song, and put together the most heart moving video together with it. You're more than special." Ladybug told him.

Nino said it blushing slightly, "Okay then, sure. Alya will you,"

"Way ahead of you. This is going to blow up the blog and your song for sure." She snickered, "Not like it needs the help."

Ladybug and Chat Noir took a few quick pictures with the yo-yo and baton before letting Alya take a few of them on her phone.

Ladybug told her with a smile, "Feel free to quote me. This song really is amazing, and I love every bit of it."

Alya looked at Chat expectantly and he smirked, "I'm listening to it non-stop, and I don't plan to stop any time soon."

Alya nodded, "You guys are the best."

They said their goodbyes and returned to the rooftops. Chat left quickly after Ladybug did, heading straight for Marinette's house.

He didn't get a chance to ask her earlier. Akuma's. They ruined everything.

After his talk with Ladybug, he knew that he wanted Marinette to know the whole truth. His heart was fully accepting what he had been trying to deny.

He was in love with Marinette. She was where his hearts compass had been leading him. No, his love for Ladybug was never going to fade, but he could love her the right way now. He knew that.

He jumped onto her balcony and heard a short squeal inside, making him smile.

Her trapdoor opened and she took a deep breath when she saw him, "Chat Noir. Mangy alley cat you scared me!"

He laughed, bowing dramatically, "Deepest apologies purrincess."

She lifted herself onto the balcony with him, asking curious, "Is everything okay? You know I don't mind your visits but, what are you doing here?"

He put his hand over his heart, "That hurts purrincess. I thought you would enjoy a purrfect evening with your favorite Chat."

She rolled her eyes, "You're ridiculous with all your puns. Can't you speak without them, at all?"

He grinned, "Where's the fun in that?" He felt the grin falling off his face as he looked into her eyes. "Marinette, there is something I want to tell you, and honestly, I'm, a little scared."

She smiled gently, telling him in a comforting tone, "You can talk to me kitty, about anything you know that. I'll always be here for you."

He pulled her into a hug, squeezing gently. The last thing he wanted to do right now was hurt her on accident.

"Do you mind if we talk in your room? This isn't something I want anyone to overhear." He asked as he pulled away.

She agreed instantly and they went down into her room. He glanced around, seeing her walls covered with pictures of her and their friends, some of Adrien from a few of the more recent magazines, and of course designs were scattered throughout.

She asked him seriously after a second, "Chat Noir, what is going on? Are you sure that everything is okay?"

He nodded, turning to face her, "Everything is great, better then great actually." He put a clawed hand gently to her face, feeling his heart racing, "There are two things I need to tell you, but please, please let me get them out okay?"

She nodded without a word.

He let out a shaky breath and told her, "I'm in love with you."

Her eyes widened, but she didn't say anything in her shock as he kept going, "I know you may not believe me, but I am. I've been trying to push them down, trying to act like I could bury them but I can't anymore. I feel like part of me is being ripped apart, trying to deny what I'm feeling. I can't live that way anymore."

He saw the tears in her eyes forming but had to get this out, "The reason I can say those things, why I want you to believe me more than anything, is because outside of mask, I know you, and you know me."

Tears fell down her face as she closed her eyes and covered her ears, "No. No I didn't hear that."

"Marinette,"

She shook her head, "No. No you can't be saying things like that to me. You have to keep your identity a secret."

"I don't want to keep it a secret, not from you." He said quickly.

She kneeled into herself and shook her head again, "I'm not hearing this. I'm not listening."

He kneeled in front of her, touching her shoulder's, "Marinette please,"

"No. No I can't. I can't. It can't be me. I can't be the one you are in love with." She whispered, holding back her sob.

He closed his eyes and said it softly, "Plagg, Claws In."

Her hands flew to her eyes as she told him upset, "No! Why did you do that!"

He fell to his knees and hugged her tightly, "Marinette please, I'm tired of hiding from you. I'm tired of keeping it all in."

She kept her hands over her eyes as she stayed buried in his chest, "Please change back. Please Chat."

"Please look at me." He whispered.

"Chat please." She sobbed.

He closed his eyes and said it sadly, seeing Plagg looking at him knowingly not able to hide his sadness, "Plagg, Claws Out."

Marinette started crying when the green light faded and he hugged her tighter, refusing to move away from her. When she finally started to calm down, she sniffled asking, "Why, why would you do this to me?"

He wiped her eyes carefully, asking his own question in response, "If I don't drop my transformation again, will you come somewhere with me? Please."

It took her a few seconds to answer, "Yes."

They stood slowly and he went up to her balcony, knowing she was following him. "Keep your eyes closed. Okay?" He gathered her up in his arms after she nodded, and took off in silence. He didn't go far before he found the spot from the video. It was just a little park, but it had a small blacktop where they had danced. Right now the park was completely empty.

It was perfect.

"Where are we?" She asked with a slight frown as he set her down. Her eyes were still closed.

He flipped open his baton and started the song, "Somewhere special. Will you dance with me?"

She said it quickly, "I have two left feet."

"Not with me you won't." He said confidently. She had danced this beautifully the first time. He knew she could again.

He lifted her hand into the air. Putting his against hers lightly, starting the dance the way they had in the video. Her eyes snapped open at the move and he smiled at her.

He moved automatically, and as though she was in a trance, followed his lead.

Their eyes never left each other's as they danced. When the part came in the video where he had walked away, seeing the pain in her eyes already, he refused to let the outcome be the same.

They bowed to each other as the song started to reach its end, and he took her hand to kiss it, replicating the scene again. But this time, he didn't let go.

He pulled her into his arms, whispering it softly, "I see you, I always have. I'm tired of dancing circles with you, of always being so close, and always getting pulled back. That's why I want you to know the truth. It's why I _need_ you to know the truth."

He put his forehead to hers, seeing the tears back in her eyes.

He said it as a promise, "I am never, going to walk away from you like that again."

More tears fell as she whispered it longingly, pulling him closer, "Adrien."

He gave her a small smile, "Hi purrincess."

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**Thanks for reading! As always feel free to review and comment!**

**Yep, that's really it. Ending, right there. AHHH it's agonziing but I had to! One-shots *falls over, dramatically dying while trying to deal with the fact that we are practically mid-story with only a one-sided reveal and knowing that no more is coming***

**More is coming soon so don't fret! (For the next prompt I mean ^-^)**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	16. Kim's Ridiculous Dares

**Hey everyone! I'm sorry about the delayed post! As usual, I got carried away. *chuckles nervously* My bad. '^-^ This one is kinda long, so fair warning.**

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! I'm so glad that you guys are enjoying the ride so far! I know October is slowly coming to an end, but I am planning on writing something for all 31 prompts I promise. It just may take me a second to get there so bare with me okay?**

**Also, I do not own the characters, just the plot! Side note, I also do not own the lyrics you are going to see in italics.**

**Day 18 - Kim's Ridiculous Dares**

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Marinette was shaking her head, listening to Alix and Kim going back and forth about his ridiculous dare habit. Truth be told they were all a little sick of it, but being the somewhat extremely competitive class that they were, dares were taken with the utmost of seriousness.

Luckily their afternoon classes had been cancelled for the next few days, in favor of homeroom study time for midterms coming up. Not that everyone in class was actually studying.

Chloe was relaxed back while Sabrina filed her nails. Nathaniel was asking Mylene and Ivan study questions while idly doodling. Nino was mostly taking notes, but kept flipping from his textbook to his online music mixer. Alya was writing quickly on her tablet, working on a new post for the Ladyblog.

Adrien was the only one with an actual book open, ear buds in to try and drown out the noise of their classmates.

Marinette wasn't studying really. She was working on all the homework she hadn't had a chance to finish before. Hawkmoth had sent out five akuma's in three days. Not only had she honestly not had the chance to do it, she had been exhausted.

Max warned Alix suddenly, "Nine times out of ten you do the dare anyways. You might as well save yourself the argument and see what he has to say."

"Why don't you focus your ridiculousness somewhere else besides me? I'm not doing another dare until someone else does." Alix said annoyed.

Kim groaned, "Come on! You are the only one brave enough to even try!"

"Because your dares are ridiculous." Max said easily.

"And not everyone wants to deal with you." Alix added huffily.

Kim crossed his arms and then his eyes widened as he pointed at her, "MARINETTE!"

She jumped in her seat, turning around to see Kim pointing at her. She had mostly been able to tune them out so she had no idea what was going on, "Y-yes?"

Kim jumped over the desk easily and slammed his hand on her desk over her homework, "I dare you to take on one of my dares."

Marinette said it instantly, "Nope."

Kim pouted, "Oh come on!" His pout turned into a smirk, "I dare you." He raised an eyebrow at her, "Or aren't you willing to help a friend in need?"

Marinette flinched at the challenge. Alya's frantic typing beside her stopped, and she glanced at her best friend before telling Kim, "Nothing athletic, and nothing that will embarrass anyone else."

Kim looked past her to Alya, a wicked gleam in his eye before his eyes caught hers again, "Okay. You don't count as part of the embarrass anyone group do you?"

She glared at him, "I know how you are so no, I don't count. I'm sure whatever you have stirring in that dare-riddled mind is going to embarrass me, but you can't embarrass me more than I already embarrass myself."

Kim's smirk widened, "I do love a challenge. Okay, Nothing athletic, and nothing that will embarrass anyone but you. Hmm," he looked up and nodded once, "I dare you to stand at the front of class and sing a song of Alya's choice, while Adrien records you on his phone."

Her face immediately turned red, and she told Kim sternly, "You're just cruel."

Kim smirked, "Don't do it," he taunted, "but remember what becomes of those who dare to not do a dare." Kim added it easily, "If you do it, I won't dare anyone else for the rest of the day."

"The rest of the week." Marinette retorted.

Kim held her stare before nodding, "You're on, but you have to sing the entire song or you lose and have to do one of my dares every day for the rest of the week."

Alya told her in assurance when she saw her hesitate, "I have the perfect song, and its one of your favorites. Besides you have a great voice."

Kim asked her sarcastically, "What say you, oh great voice?"

Marinette groaned, glancing at Adrien who was completely oblivious to the turmoil going on behind him.

"If Adrien will agree to record, then fine, you're on." Marinette said, knowing that having Adrien staring at her the entire time was the biggest obstacle. She didn't have a problem singing in front of Alya, but she had never sung for an audience.

Kim clapped Adrien on the shoulder, making him jump slightly from the sudden unexpected contact. Adrien pulled out an ear bud, turning around when he saw almost everyone looking at him, "What's going on?"

"Marinette's going to sing, will you record her on your phone?" Alya told him, trying to sound neutral though loved what Kim had pulled off so suddenly. She loved watching her ship interact in ways that SHOULD bring them closer. Not that it didn't almost always backfire, toying with all of their emotions with Marinette and Adrien's constant dance around each other. Ugh, the constant frustration.

Adrien immediately turned his attention to the bluenette, seeing the embarrassed look on her face. He frowned a little, telling her protectively, "Don't let them bully you Marinette. If you don't want to, you don't have to."

"No, they aren't bullying me." Marinette said shaking her head, coming up with a quick explanation for why he needed to be the one to record, "Y-you're just sitting up front, so you don't even have to move if you don't want to."

Adrien didn't buy it and looked at Alya, knowing she would tell him the real reason. She mouthed it, rolling her eyes, 'It's a dare.'

He nodded knowingly before smiling at Marinette. She looked nervous enough as it was. If he was the only one going to record her, he could at least try to make sure she was comfortable the whole time. "I don't mind, but no one else can record but me."

He looked at Kim who already had his phone out, "You can't make amendments."

"You dragged me into Marinette's dare, you bet I can. I'm the only one who records, or she doesn't sing at all." Adrien said easily, seeing Marinette shoulders relax, even as she blushed slightly.

Kim put his phone away, but had a smirk on his face, "All right, we'll do it your way Agreste." Kim leaned in slightly and whispered it him, "Want to keep the video to yourself huh?"

Adrien felt himself blush and said it sternly under his breath, "I just don't want you using it against her later."

Kim stood tall and shrugged, "Yeah, whatever you say."

Adrien looked back at Marinette and nodded slightly. She stood with a heavy sigh and Alya patted her arm softly, "Close your eyes. It will help."

Marinette didn't look convinced but nodded as Alya handed her a slip of paper. Marinette gave a small smile to her best friend before moving to stand in front of Miss Bustier's desk.

Kim had his arms crossed in triumph. Nino was shaking his head as Alya whispered something to him.

Adrien pulled out his phone as he stood, standing at the bottom step and telling Marinette, "Whenever you are ready."

She held up a finger, trying to find the courage to do this. Her eyes caught his and he gave her a soft smile, "Just ignore everyone else. It's just me and you." He told her, trying to ease her nerves.

Even though she smiled at him, knowing he was trying to make her feel better, his comment sent her heart into a fluttering frenzy. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes before nodding at him.

He hit the record button. A few seconds later she raised a fisted hand to her chest, covering it with the other one, and started to sing.

"_A million thoughts, in my head, should I let my heart, keep listening? Cuz up til now, I've walked the line. Nothing lost, but something's missing._"

The entire class was watching in silent awe. If Adrien's sole job hadn't been to be recording, the phone would have dropped out of his hand in shock. Her voice was beautiful.

"_I can't, decide. What's wrong, what's right? Which way, should I goooooo?_"

Her face was scrunched into a slightly pained expression, her emotions clear in every note.

"_If only I knew what my, heart was, telling me. Don't know what I'm feeling. Is this just a dream? Uh ooooh, yeah. If only I could read the, signs in, front of me. I could find the way to, who I'm meant to beeee. Uh oh, if only._"

Adrien felt the blush on his cheeks.

"_If only._" She moved her head to one side, eyes crinkled at her internal struggle.

The pain in his heart instantly mirrored hers.

"_If only._"

He knew this song meant something more to her. It wasn't something random. The amount of pained passion in her voice resonated with Adrien's heart in a way he didn't know was possible.

"_Every step, every word. With every hour, I am falling in. To something new, something brave, to someone I, I have never been._"

Her voice got a little stronger, but the painful expression on her face held in place, "_I can't, decide. What's wrong, what's right? Which way, should I go? If only I knew what my, heart was, telling me. Don't know what I'm feeling. Is this just a dream? Uh oh, yeah. If only I could read the, signs in, front of me. I could find the way to, who I'm meant to be. Uh oooooh, if only. Yeaa-aaah._"

Her hands went to the sides of her head, "_Am I, crazy?_" She shook her head in denial, but hope rang through, "_Maybe, we could haaaa-ppen. Yeah._" Her hands fell slowly to her sides, "_Will you, still be, with me,_" she opened her eyes just to look down at her hands, her voice slowing sadly, "_when the maaaaa-gic's all, run, out?_"

Her eyes squeezed shut again, fighting back tears.

If anyone in their class had doubts before about how Marinette felt, this song was showing them how truly torn she was inside. They had no idea how living a double life affected her, or how her feelings between Adrien and Chat Noir were always in the front of her mind.

"_If only I knew what my, heart was, telling me. Don't know what I'm feeling. Is this just a dream? Uh oh, if only I could read the, signs in front of me, I could find the way to, who I'm meant to be. Uh oooooh. If only, yeah. If only, yeah._"

Her eyes opened, immediately locking on Adrien's. Her eyes were glossy, and he could see her soul in their blue depths.

"_If only, yeah._"

Adrien felt like his heart was breaking for her. Someone had hurt her, someone she obviously still loved and was torn up over. He hated them, whoever they were. They didn't deserve her love. They didn't deserve someone as genuinely amazing and beautiful as her, not if they could do this to her.

She hugged her arms around her middle, "_If only._" A tear fell down her face and she sung it as a hopeless whisper, "_If only._"

They stared at each other for a few more seconds before she said it, "Dare done. I'm done." She rushed out of the room quickly without a backwards glance.

Alya, Mylene, and Rose rushed out after her, all of them calling her name in a panic.

Chloe was looking at her nails in appreciation, "Hmm, I've heard worse."

Sabrina nodded but didn't say anything.

Adrien almost said something to her, his anger instantly sparking to life at her words, but to everyone's surprise, Juleka spoke up, "No one wants to hear your half-baked, jealous comments right now Chloe. Even after becoming Queen Bee, you still can't even care a little about what Marinette is feeling right now?" Juleka shook her head and left the room to go after the girls.

Adrien saw Chloe's shock, but she turned away from everyone else. He looked at Nino who was staring at him sheepishly, "You okay dude?"

He nodded, "Marinette looked, so heart broken."

Alix sighed heavily, "Torn, not heart broken, not yet." She stood and looked pointedly at Kim, "You lost. Try not to do anymore damage this week, before the rest of the girls start to plot against you."

Kim looked genuinely scared at Alix's threat, even taking a few steps back when her small form approached him, "What? Didn't realize you were shooting an arrow through the heart did you? Asshole."

Alix walked out looking triumphant, and Ivan said it gently, "I hope Marinette's okay."

Max said it trying to sound sure himself, "There is a seventy-three percent chance that the girls will make her feel better. You know Marinette is always happy anyways. She'll be herself again in no time."

Adrien asked suddenly, knowing what it felt like to hide feelings behind a smile. Had he really been this blind?

"IS she always happy? Does anyone ever ask Marinette how's she's really feeling? She asks all of us, and is the first one to take care of us when we are all feeling down."

The guys looked at each other frowning.

No.

No one ever asked about Marinette because she was always smiling. She was always taking care of everyone else. She was always putting smiles on everyone else's faces. Of course she was fine and happy.

Adrien felt like an idiot for never realizing sooner that Marinette's mask was just like his. Only better, because of how well she hid it all this time.

Nino said it suddenly, "Alya is her best friend, and the girls will bring her back up in no time." The guys' phone's all went off simultaneously, including Adrien's.

His text was from Alya, "Girls are all ditching last hour. Grab Marinette's things Sunshine and take them to the bakery please? Thanks."

Nino sighed heavily before looking at Kim, "You're an idiot!"

Kim said it sounding upset, "It wasn't supposed to go down this way."

Ivan was collecting Mylene's things, "Alix told you your dares were going to come back at you one day."

"We should see if the girls need our help." Max said as he was grabbing Rose's things. Nathaniel was grabbing Juleka's as he said it, "We should let the girls handle it. I doubt any of us could make it better."

Nino said it looking at him as he grabbed Alya's things, "One person probably could."

Adrien moved to grab Marinette's things, wishing what Nino was implying was true, "I'll probably only make things worse."

The school shook around them violently, and Adrien's heart plummeted as the shaking stopped.

He looked straight at Nino, whispering it in horror.

"An akuma. Marinette."

Nino was already calling after him as he bolted out of the classroom with Marinette's things, "ADRIEN WAIT!"

He pulled out his phone on the fly, calling Marinette, and thanking whatever ladybug luck he did have that Alya had given him her number for emergencies.

He was pretty sure this counted as one.

Five rings. She didn't answer.

Plagg told him as they left the school, "Adrien, if Marinette was akumatized, you aren't going to be able to help her."

Adrien told Plagg seriously as he tried to call her again, "She's my friend,"

"Ugh, please don't start that again." Plagg whined.

"She is. She always will be." He said it a little frustrated, still no answer, "Even if I did admit that I have feelings for her,"

"Which you do." Plagg said quickly.

"You heard her sing that song. She is obviously in love with someone and is hurting because of him. She'd probably never look at me that way." He said a little more disappointed than he knew he should have been.

He had realized a couple of months ago that he was starting to feel like Marinette was something more to him. After his countless failed attempts at getting Ladybug to admit she had feelings for him, he had stopped trying so hard.

Marinette had been the only person to realize that something was wrong with him.

He had explained to her simply that he was torn between fighting for what he wanted, or letting it go. Marinette said that she had understood, saying that she was in a similar situation.

They had laughed together about how hopeless their love lives were, and the comment had slipped through his lips before he could stop himself, "Maybe we should just go out with each other and forget about every one else."

Her face had turned bright red at his words, and seconds later his did too when his words reached his brain. Luckily Nino and Alya had found them at that moment, not realizing what they had walked into.

That next day, Marinette had acted like nothing had happened, so he did too, and they never spoke of it again. Miraculously, yes that was an intentional pun even in his mind, that was the same day Ladybug had actually responded to his off-hand flirt with one of her own.

Ladybug still occasionally returned his flirting, but sometimes he felt like she was staring at him with a sadness he didn't understand.

He felt like he was trapped between his first love, and the growing love he had for the beautiful girl who sat behind him.

He groaned as he heard her voicemail pick up again. He shoved the phone in his pocket and ducked into an alley near the bakery, transforming and grabbing her bag. He dropped the bag off on her balcony before taking off after the akuma.

He found the akuma quickly, his heart in his throat. The akuma had dark black hair that shined blue. It was up in a very long braided ponytail. There was a small silver bag on the girls' hip, and a long staff with a glowing white jewel at the top. He watched the girl already closed in on a guy up against a wall. She touched the white jewel gently to his chest and the guys' eyes closed.

Her voice was clear, "Be free, find the one who has your heart and let the truth be known. No more hesitation." The guy ran off instantly without looking back, his eyes glowing gold.

He felt his heart pick up, "Oh no, please, please don't be you Marinette, please."

"Another torn heart. Not surprising." He heard her say seconds before she turned and immediately caught his eyes. Her face was completely covered by a definition-less black mask. The only thing he could see were her fiercely glowing gold eyes. She slammed her staff into the ground and everything around them shook violently. He lost his balance but caught himself on a flagpole, spinning and landing neatly on the ground. She blasted him in the chest before he could block it, and as the warmth of the white energy moved through him, his vision began to change.

He saw Marinette and he saw Ladybug, standing a few feet apart in an otherwise empty room. They were both holding a hand out towards him. He took a step towards them, but he never got any closer to them. No matter how many steps he took, he couldn't get closer to either of them.

He felt a manic laugh escape him as he said it, "I can't choose. Even an akuma's powers can't make me choose between them. Just my luck." Their images faded at his revelation, and his vision returned to normal.

She was standing across from him with her guard down as she said it evenly, not realizing her power wasn't affecting him, "Chat Noir. Hand over your miraculous, and let me cleanse you of the pain in your heart. There is no more need to be torn. Let Embracer show you what your heart truly wants."

He said it quickly, "My heart doesn't know what it wants. Sorry, looks like even your power can't make me choose between them."

She glared at him and he told her softly, "You don't have to do this. I, I know you're hurting, but this isn't you. This isn't going to get rid of the pain."

Embracer took a step towards him, pointing her staff at him, "So you refuse to be embraced by the truth in your heart. Then let's make sure you fully understand your own pain."

His eyes widened as he saw the white jewel turn black. She pulled the staff back slightly and a blast of black energy nearly collided with his body as he jumped out of the way. He begged her, "Please I don't want to fight you!"

He kept dodging her attacks as she yelled at him, "Then don't fight! Embrace what your heart truly wants! There has been enough suffering. It's time for people to finally make a choice! Other people's indecisions hurt just as much as the indecisions in our own hearts, but no more!"

He ducked behind a car, breathing heavily as he closed his eyes. "Come on Ladybug, where are you? I can't do this. I can't fight Marinette. I can't."

"Chat Noir look out!"

His eyes snapped open and he immediately tumbled forward, feeling the energy graze his back.

He saw Alya as he stayed crouched, the black energy crashing into her stomach. Her eyes turned into a cold, unfeeling silver. She took a step towards him and he asked her worried, "Alya, what's wrong?"

She didn't say a word, and silver tears started falling down her face. She rushed him and he moved out of the way, but she kept coming after him, "Alya stop! This isn't you!"

Embracer told him, "She can't hear you Chat Noir. She is trapped in her own heart, reliving every moment that caused her heart pain."

He managed to knock Alya back a few steps and took the chance to vault himself onto the rooftops. Embracer followed, having strength and speed nearly equal to his own it seemed.

"You won't get away Chat Noir!" She screamed behind him.

"Voyage!"

He skidded to a stop and looked back. He saw Pegasus with a hand out towards Embracer. A portal opened and Embracer disappeared as her momentum propelled her into the portal seconds before it disappeared.

He breathed a sigh of relief, "Pegasus."

Pegasus nodded at him once, "Chat Noir, what are you doing running from an akuma when you should be fighting it?"

Chat's tail flicked back and forth nervously, "It's, complicated. The akuma, I'm pretty sure she's, someone I know."

Pegasus put a hand on his shoulder, "Sorry, that's rough. She's important to you?"

He frowned, "A friend."

Pegasus looked to their left, taking his answer as fact, "We should get moving. Ladybug had me drop the akuma near her and the others."

Chat asked as he followed Pegasus towards where the sound of fighting was picking up not too far away, "Wait, you've seen Ladybug already?"

He nodded, "She brought me my miraculous. Me, Manticore, and Carapace."

He said it knowingly, "She has a plan."

Pegasus nodded, "Doesn't she always?"

They approached carefully, seeing Ladybug with the still towering Manticore, protecting them both with her yo-yo while he scraped his silver armbands against each other. He was collecting momentum.

Chat told Pegasus when he didn't immediately see Carapace anywhere, "Where's Cap?"

"No idea. LB told me 'Go get my kitten before he hurts himself'." Pegasus said with a smirk that made Chat Noir blush.

"Her kitten huh?" He asked to himself, his heart doing a back flip in joy, before falling flat on its face. He remembered that the akuma shooting at his lady was his purrincess underneath that warrior's outfit.

Pegasus said it chuckling, "Her words, not mine. Looks like Manticore is building momentum for something big. I definitely don't want to be on the opposite end of that. He's been collecting momentum since I went after you."

"Yikes." Chat said worried.

Manticore was the bearer of the bull miraculous, and they had only used him twice before now. Manticore's power was his ability to absorb momentum in his bracelets. He could gain momentum from scraping the bracelets together the way he was, or by taking physical attacks with them. Depending on the amount of momentum he stored, his real attack would vary in its degree of destructiveness.

Nothing good was going to come from that momentum being released. He was sure of it, and he was sure that his princess would be the one getting hit.

Manticore said it loudly, his deep voice echoing around them, "RAGE!"

The silver of the bracelets turned molten red and Ladybug moved out of his way quickly. Manticore shot himself forward at full speed, pulling a fist back to ready his attack.

Chat moved without thinking, "NO!" He jumped over the rooftop in a panic, his hand already gripping his baton. He slammed Manticore's outstretched hand into the ground with his baton inches from Embracer. The ground instantly began to crumble underneath them and Chat turned, practically tackling Embracer and taking off away from what he knew was about to be a giant crater.

"CHAT!" He heard Ladybug calling him.

He kept moving. He couldn't let them hurt her. Not Marinette. She was hurting enough. He couldn't watch it happen. He couldn't.

He held her protectively to his chest, Embracer asking in shock, "Y-you saved me? But, but why?"

He flashed her a smile but kept running, "I couldn't stand there and let them hurt you."

He felt the magic under him a second too late and dropped down into the portal. He was right back where he started, standing in the center of the hundred-yard crater.

He let Embracer down and gripped his baton protectively, feeling the pain in his heart as Ladybug stared at him in shock, "Chat Noir what are you doing?"

He held his baton out towards her, "I can't let you hurt her."

"Manticore wasn't going to hurt her, we were aiming for her staff! We had already gotten it away from her once but it wouldn't break and she called it back to her." Ladybug explained.

Pegasus told Ladybug as he slid down into the, at least fifty foot deep, crater, "Chat thinks the akuma is his friend. Honestly, I think she's my friend too." Pegasus stood next to him, protecting Embracer too.

Manticore told them both, "Even if she may be our friend, she's akumatized. She needs to be purified before she hurts more people. She'll be even more upset when she finds out what she did."

Ladybug looked between the three of them in shock, "All, all three of you think you know her?"

They all nodded and Ladybug's face fell. Carapace appeared at the top of the crater, "LB! The area was cleared before the rage so everyone's safe!"

"Thanks Carapace!" She called up to him. Ladybug closed her eyes for a second, thinking no doubt.

Her eyes snapped open suddenly and looked straight past Chat Noir to the akuma at his back, reaching for his miraculous, "CAP!"

"Shell-ter!" His voice called from above them.

"NO!" Embracer yelled angrily, pounding into the green shield with her staff.

Pegasus and Chat Noir both jumped away from the shield as Embracer blasted shot after shot of dark energy at it.

Ladybug walked up between them, telling them softly, "If she is your friend, you both know she isn't herself right now."

They both felt guilty. It wasn't like this was the first of their classmates to have ever been akumatized, but for it to be Marinette, fighting her was impossible for Chat Noir.

Ladybug's voice turned serious, "Don't try to help me." She stepped through the shield and Chat told her in horror, "M'lady no!" He pounded into the shield with his fist, but Carapace wasn't letting him through.

Embracer smirked, "Think that's wise? The pain in your heart is twice as strong as any of the others. You are so equally conflicted by your first love and your growing love, even if I hit you," the smirk fell off of her face to be replaced with scorn.

Ladybug twirled her yo-yo, saying it heavily, "I wouldn't be affected, because even my heart doesn't know which way I should go."

The line struck a chord in Chat's heart for some reason, but before he could think about it, Ladybug's movement distracted him.

Ladybug was going straight for the akuma and started fighting on her own while they all watched in shock.

Chat hated this.

This was the worst feeling he had ever experienced in his entire life.

He watched horrified as the white jewel's power hit Ladybug, no doubt Embracer was hoping to move her attention elsewhere. Ladybug recovered from the attack and walked towards Embracer who kept sending more energy into her.

Ladybug hadn't been lying. She was completely unaffected by this akuma, and it made Chat's knees buckle. She was in the same place he was. Their hearts torn perfectly in half.

The staff suddenly went flying out of the shield after another few quick strikes and Ladybug's yo-yo wound around Embracer's wrist. As she pulled, Embracer spun into the string, falling to her knees as she lost balance. She was caught.

Ladybug turned and saw Manticore with the staff in his hand, "It still won't come apart LB."

She looked at him and he knew instantly what he had to do. He walked over to Manticore, silently calling Cataclysm to his hand. The jewel at the top of the staff was actually housing the akumatized object, a heart shaped pendent that was cracked in the middle. He touched the staff and it instantly disintegrated.

The akuma was released and Cap's shield fell. Ladybug caught and purified the akuma quickly before setting off the Miraculous Ladybugs.

Everything around them returned to normal, and he saw the girl being helped up by Ladybug.

It wasn't Marinette.

Ladybug looked at all three of them, raising a questioning eyebrow in silence. One by one they shook their heads and she smiled somewhat relieved.

The five of them headed off after making sure the girl was okay, and returning her newly fixed pendent.

Chat knew he had longer then the others, and since he knew Pegasus's identity offered to get his miraculous while Ladybug got Cap's and Manticore's.

When he met up with her to return the borrowed Miraculous, she instantly stored them in her yo-yo. He needed to talk to her, and she agreed to meet up after she returned them so they could both recharge.

The second she dropped next to him again, he let it spill out.

"Bugaboo, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He said guilt-ridden.

She wrapped her arms around him tightly, "Don't be. I know how hard it is to fight against someone you know. Especially if that person is important to you."

He held her tighter, "You are important to me."

She pulled back and looked up into his sad green eyes. She touched the side of his face, "You are important to me too."

He asked her pleading, "Please, tell me what I'm supposed to do. Tell me you'll make the choice so I don't have to."

She rested her head against his chest, "I wish I could make a choice kitty. I wish it were that easy. You saw that energy hit me. I wish it had affected me."

He rested his head on top of hers, closing his eyes, "If only we knew what our hearts were telling us."

He felt Ladybug stiffen in his arms. He raised his head and looked at her confused, "Bug?"

She was staring at him in shock, "Wh-where did you hear that?"

He admitted it slowly, "A, friend of mine, the one I told you about before." She nodded but didn't once blink as he told her, "She sung this song that had a similar line in it. Her voice was beautiful, and it broke my heart, and she rushed out of the room crying after words. A few minutes later the akuma shows up. I panicked and,"

"You thought it was her. Oh kitty," Ladybug said, tears in her eyes, "My kitty, I'm such an idiot."

He frowned at her, "You? I'm the one who didn't fight because I thought it was her."

She smiled even as the tears in her eyes fell, "I'm an idiot, because I know now why my heart is torn in half perfectly. It all makes sense." She started to laugh, really laugh and he asked her confused, "Bug, am I missing something?"

She nodded, wiping the tears from her face, "I'm not going to choose."

His eyes widened, "What?"

She said it again, "I'm not going to choose. I can't Chat. I can't choose between the two halves of my heart. It's impossible."

He felt his anger rising. She wasn't going to choose? How could she stand there with that peaceful look on her face? How could she be so relaxed when he knew that her heart had been just as torn as his a few seconds ago? It wasn't fair.

"What are you going to do if you aren't going to choose? You won't play both sides. I know you aren't that kind of person. I wouldn't do it to you, why would you even consider doing it to me? If you loved me at all,"

"I do love you, exactly the way you are." She said quickly, "And more than you will ever, ever know."

Now he was even more confused, "You just said you weren't choosing."

She shook her head, "I'm not. I'm not choosing one half of my heart over the other."

He went to say something else and she put a finger to his lips, "You said you were torn, between me and the girl you said you were falling for."

He nodded and she moved her finger. He stayed silent and she asked him somewhat shyly, "Chat, that girl, she was the one who sang right?"

"Yes. She sang in front of our entire class." He explained simply.

She smiled slightly, "Do you mind if, I sang just for you?"

He blushed instantly, heat radiating all the way to the tips of his ears. She grabbed his hand and he asked her when he found his voice, "Why?"

"You'll understand, please?" She asked again.

"Okay." He said nervously.

She put her hands on either side of his face, making his eyes close, as she whispered it, "It's just you and me."

He opened his eyes as she stepped back.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She held a fisted hand to her chest, and began to sing.

"_A million thoughts, in my head, should I let my heart, keep listening? Cuz up til now, I've walked the line. Nothing lost, but something's missing._"

His eyes widened in shock as he unknowingly took a step back.

"_I can't, decide. What's wrong, what's right? Which way, should I goooo?" _Her eyes opened and held his with a small smile,_ "I finally know what, my heart is, telling me. I know what I'm feeling. Is this just a dream? Uh oh, yeah._"

He walked towards her in slow motion, tears building in his eyes.

"_I can finally read the, signs in, front of me. I finally found the way to, who I'm meant to be. No more, if only. Yeee-aaah._"

He grabbed her hands in his, ignoring the tears that fell from his eyes.

"_Am I, crazy, maybe, we could haaaaa-ppen?_"

He nodded and she smiled as she sang it, "_Yeah. Will you, still be, with me,_" she lifted his hand, running her thumb over his miraculous, "_when the maaaa-gic's, all, run, out?_"

He squeezed her hand and kissed her ring finger with his eyes closed, knowing she understood his answer, before holding their hands to his chest.

Her voice lowered as she sung it to him in a slow whisper, "_I finally know what my, heart is, telling me._" He smiled, lifting her up by her thighs in his arms and turning in a circle. Her head went back and she threw her arms up to her sides, singing louder in her happiness, "_I know what I'm feeling. This is not a dream. Uh ooooooh. No more, if only. No more, if only._"

He slowly set her down, her hands resting on his shoulders as her feet touched ground again. He leaned down, touching his forehead to hers, their eyes closing.

"_You are, my only._" She sang it softly, love pouring out of every note, "_My only_."

He let the note hang in the air for a few more seconds before wrapping her in his arms tightly. His voice was thick as he tried to keep himself from crying, "Marinette. It's you. It's been you all this time."

She was hugging him back just as tightly, "My heart was never torn. It had already made a choice. My first love, and my love that was growing. Both halves made up my whole heart. I just didn't know it."

He ran the back of two fingers down her cheek, "No wonder the akuma didn't affect us. There was no choosing between two halves of the same person." He smiled at her softly as she nodded.

"Adrien, I love you." She said as she stared into his piercing green eyes.

They were slowly moving towards each other as he felt his heart explode in his chest, "I love you too Marinette, more than you will ever, ever know."

They bridged the gap and kissed passionately, knowing they were in the arms of the person who was their one and only.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! **

**If you were dying to know, the song Marinette sings is called "If Only" by Dove Cameron. That is where ALL credit is due. I really recommend giving the song a listen if you want to hear why I chose this song. It may also help you get a better sense of the pain and confusion in her voice. I did the reprise(2nd) version lyric changes myself though.**

**And I am not going to lie. I wrote this one in response to a previous prompt where Adrien does a reveal through a dance with Marinette. I wanted to see what she would do if their positions were reversed but in a similar situation. What did you guys think?**

**Feel free to comment and review! You guys make my day when you do!**

**More is coming soon so don't fret! But, sleep first. Yeah, sleep is good.**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	17. Wrong Holiday

**Hey everyone! A short one, yay! I did it! However on that note, this one totally is going to relate back to a prompt I am dying to get to. I threw some of how I see it playing out in here for story purposes, oh the questions to be answered, but I already know it will be too long to be a one shot.**

**You know what that means? NEW STORY COMING FOLKS! I am going to forgo adding that prompt to the one-shots though. Maybe a 'sneak peak' will make it instead. *wink wink***

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! ^-^**

**Also I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!**

**Day 29 - Wrong Holiday**

* * *

Marinette sneaked a peak up at the blonde across the table. They had been working on carving their rather large pumpkins for nearly two hours already.

Adrien had told her last week when Nino and Alya brought up carving pumpkins with their siblings that he had never carved a pumpkin before.

She had jumped at the opportunity to spend more time with her boyfriend, and simultaneously make him happy.

She still couldn't believe it sometimes.

She, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, was dating the one and only Adrien Agreste.

There had been an accidental reveal from being trapped in a locker together for over twelve hours – kwami's that be you do not even want to know that story, and three awkward weeks while they both tried figuring out their feelings. In those weeks, Marinette and Adrien hadn't spoken a single word to each other outside of being transformed.

They had actually avoided each other at all costs, and barely made eye contact.

Ladybug and Chat Noir had still fought the akuma's together, but more people than not noticed the shift in their dynamic. Chat Noir was no longer flirting and being funny. Ladybug was no longer concocting drawn out plans. They were going in, doing their jobs with as little communication as possible, and then taking off without once doing their usual pound it. Paris knew at that point that something was wrong with their beloved heroes.

Alya had managed to corner them individually on separate occasions, begging for answers as to what was going on between them. Both of them had unknowingly given her the exact same answer, "Nothing. There's nothing going on between us anymore."

It was the worst three weeks they had ever lived.

Even their class had tried to pry information out of them for what was going on between them, but what could they have said?

They couldn't tell anyone why it suddenly caused Adrien to flinch hearing Marinette talk to Alya. Or why Marinette couldn't hear Adrien's name without nearly bursting into tears. They couldn't tell anyone that when they looked at each other, all they saw were the times it should have been obvious.

They couldn't even admit to themselves how truly blind they had been. Any interaction they had those first two days had been shockwave after shockwave of guilt. They were both disappointed in themselves, for hurting the other one over and over again the way they did.

The very last time they had made eye contact, the unspoken rules had been put in place. They wouldn't look at each other anymore. They wouldn't speak. They wouldn't ask about the other's feelings. They would keep the truth buried in their hearts, because he knew that he didn't deserve her, and because she knew that she didn't deserve him. Not anymore.

Alya had spent days plotting against them, sometimes getting help from their friends, to find a way to bring them back together. Three weeks they had managed to avoid their friends' schemes, not that they hadn't had some close calls.

In the end, it was Chloe's plan that had worked.

Yes, that's right.

Even Chloe finally couldn't stand how Marinette no longer responded to her taunting, or how she hadn't seen her Adrikin's smile once since the utterly ridiculous locker incident. Both of them instead, sitting there day in and day out with that empty look in their eyes, as though their souls had been carved out of their bodies without remorse.

Marinette was glad that it was over, and was happy to have her friend, and her kitty, back in her life.

"Marinette, you okay? Did you hurt yourself?"

She blinked, shaking her head as she smiled at him, "No, I'm okay Adrien. Sorry, just spacing out."

He chuckled, "There's a shocker."

She pointed her pumpkin knife at him teasingly, "Careful there mister. I've done more damage with lesser objects you know."

"Don't I know it." He smirked, "You do realize that I am usually at the end of those convoluted plans that come out of that beautiful head?"

She said it unremorsefully, knowing she was blushing from his sudden comment, "Nine times out of ten, they wouldn't work without you. It just goes to show you how important you've always been to me and how I wouldn't be able to do this without you."

She glanced over and saw the blush on his cheeks, saying it casually, "I'm sure you'd manage."

"Sure," she said lightly, seeing him get sad, "But I don't have nine lives. I'd have been done for ages ago."

The sadness in his eyes turned to protectiveness, "Don't say things like that."

"Then don't you start beating yourself up." She told him gently.

They smiled at each other before going back to work. Another hour into it, Marinette was shaking out her hand as she told him, "Finally, I'm done."

Adrien nodded, "Me too. I think this looks puurfect. Honest opinion bugaboo."

"Same for you. Ready?" She asked. She turned her pumpkin to face him, and his jaw dropped.

"THAT LOOKS AMAZING!" He got up instantly and walked around the table, his eyes traveling over the large pumpkin in excitement. "This is the coolest haunted house I've ever seen!" He leaned closer to it smirking, "So you didn't cut all the way into moon, clever. I'm not even surprised. You even got detailing into the spooky tree, AND you have a bat hanging there," he ran his finger down the tree on the right, shaking his head, "how is it that there is absolutely nothing you can't do?"

She was blushing like crazy at his genuine joy, his eyes never leaving the pumpkin, "You mean like speak four languages, play piano, have balance like a normal person, and get straight A's, oh on top of moonlighting as a superhero."

He grinned up at her, "I'm pretty sure you fall into the category of that last one bug."

He put his arms around her where she was sitting, smiling at her, "But I mean it. Things like this," he motioned to the pumpkins, "things that it seems like everyone should know how to do because they do it every year. It all comes so easy for you, and you aren't just good at it. Designing, baking, video games, pumpkin carving," he said it sincerely, "when you have a hand in it, its phenomenal, and more then anyone else could ever hope to achieve."

She let her head rest against his chest, hiding her scarlet face, "You are a hopeless romantic Adrien."

She felt his quiet, shuddering laugh, "Never hopeless. Just purely romantic around the girl who holds my heart."

She looked up, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. She leaned up without thinking, planting a gentle kiss to his lips that caught him by surprise. His surprise turned into melted happiness in seconds as he let out the breath he had been holding, "What was that for?"

"You make me breathless, so I thought I'd return the favor." She said quietly, her hand resting on his chest where she could feel his heart clawing to come out.

His hand cupped the side of her neck, piercing green eyes locked on ocean blue ones "If that's the trade, I'll stay breathless for the rest of my life."

He kissed her deeper this time, holding her in place to convey what words never would.

"Eh hem." An amused voice called out suddenly.

They turned to look towards the sound without moving out of each other's arms.

Alya had a hand one hip, and a pumpkin on the other, a satisfied smirk on her face, "Carving pumpkins huh?"

Marinette stuck her tongue out at her best friend, "We are already done thank you."

Adrien let his arms drop and took a small step back. Marinette instantly grabbed his hand and pulled him the step back towards her. They shared a knowing look. As much as he loved her, he was still struggling about those three weeks of hell. Alya had, on more than one occasion, given him a piece of her mind. The last time she had cornered him, thanks to his traitor best friend Nino helping her, she had yelled and screamed at him. Crying the entire time.

Seeing her brought back that moment still, and reminded him of that night when he went home, crying himself until morning.

Marinette's hand squeezed him, pulling him out of his stupor. He smiled at her, keeping her hand as he told Alya, "Marinette's is awesome."

Alya was smiling at them happily, "Think you may be a little biased Adrien?"

Adrien smirked, "Me, biased over something the great and fabulous Marinette did? What would have ever given you that idea?"

They laughed while Marinette rolled her eyes, showing Alya her pumpkin as she approached the table.

"DUDE THAT'S SICK!" Alya said, pulling out her phone right away, "Holy crap, the pumpkins I did with my sisters look like they were done by first graders now."

Adrien asked amused, "Aren't they first graders?"

Alya waved him off as she took pictures of Marinette's masterpiece, "Details. You have to help me do mine."

Marinette giggled, "Sure." She looked over at him as she realized it, "Oh Adrien, you never showed me your pumpkin."

His hand went to the back of his neck, "Mine's, nowhere near as good as yours. I probably should start over."

She told him gently, "I bet it's fine, let me see."

"It's not that I don't think it's fine." He said quickly.

Alya asked curious, "Then what's the problem? It's a pumpkin you almost can't mess it up."

Adrien's lip tightened into a thin line before sighing, "Maybe, wrong holiday?"

The girls looked at him with raised eyebrows and he turned the pumpkin to face them.

It set them off into a fit of giggles that he was mentally prepared for.

He had carved a hand with a rose reaching up at an angle, another hand reaching for it. All around the pair of hands, were little carved hearts.

He said it heavily, "I know, I know."

"Adrien, you're so sweet, but it's Halloween." Marinette said trying to control her giggling.

Alya wiped her eyes, "Not Valentine's day."

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**Thanks for reading! So much to do and so little time! More will be coming soon so don't fret!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	18. Unconventional Akuma Battle

**Hey everyone! Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! You guys are the best!**

**Also I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!**

**Day 14 - Unconventional Akuma Battle**

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Chat was keeping an extremely close eye on the akumatized standing across from him. This was the absolute weirdest thing they had ever done where fighting an akuma was concerned. And they had seen A LOT of weird things.

The akuma, Slugger, was swinging the akumatized baseball bat in his hand bored, finally asking, "What is taking her so long?"

Chat scoffed, "You wanted the team well, it's not like they are all on call whenever we need them. These things take time."

Slugger held the bat up towards him threateningly, "Tell her to hurry up, or you'll be playing on my team instead."

He pulled his baton and called Ladybug, relieved when she picked up right away, "What's up Kitty?"

"Our akuma is getting impatient." Chat said, eyeing the bat warily.

They knew that if Slugger hit any of them with the bat, it would cause them to instantly switch loyalties to him. They'd be under his control, and that was a problem they hadn't wanted. So here they were.

"Look behind you kitty." Ladybug told him.

He turned and saw her jumping down, their team right behind her.

Chat smirked and turned back to the akuma, "You sure you want to do this? I mean, have you ever SEEN Manticore swing that club?"

Manticore was easily twice everyone's height, and was muscle beyond the norm. Even thought Chat knew that Manticore was on their side, the holder of the bull miraculous's real strength still put him on edge.

Slugger smirked, "I don't think you realize how great of a player I am."

Carapace shook his head smirking as Rena said it firmly, "I don't think you realize how great of a team we are."

Viperion sighed, "This is not how I ever expected to use my miraculous."

Tigerlily smiled shyly, pushing her dark purple hair out of her face, "Still, it sounds like fun."

King Monkey had his arms crossed but was smirking, "Fun? This is going to be epic."

Slugger told them, "Then, let the game begin." He multiplied instantly, matching the number of team members Ladybug had assembled.

He told them instantly, "Home team advantage. I bat first."

Ladybug rolled her eyes, "Fine by me. Who wants to pitch?"

Chat raised his hand, "OOOO, OOOOOO, ME, LET ME DO IT BUG!"

She nodded, trying not to laugh, "Go for it Kitty."

"YES!" He jumped up and looked straight at Carapace who was smirking, "No brainer bro. I'm the only one who can probably catch your stupid strong pitches anyways."

They fist bumped and moved into position. Tigerlily was fast, so she was going to cover center and right field. King Monkey was going to take first base. Viperion was going to take third base. Ladybug was taking position at shortstop.

Rena was taking left field, and Manticore was going to take second base.

Slugger reminded them loudly as he stepped up to the plate, "Remember heroes, the first to score three runs wins all the miraculous."

Ladybug reminded him, "But if we score three runs first, you hand over your akuma."

They nodded in agreement and Ladybug told Chat lightly "Have fun Kitty."

Chat smirked and was throwing the baseball into the air as Slugger got ready.

Chat went still, ignoring the Slugger copies yelling on the sidelines. He threw the ball as hard as he could, and Carapace was pushed back slightly as he caught it.

Slugger huffed. They had agreed that because of their strength, if they didn't hit it, it was a strike, "Lucky first pitch."

Carapace threw the ball back to him and Chat smirked, "Strike one."

The second pitch was just as fast, but Slugger hit it this time, sending it flying over first base towards Tigerlily. King Monkey was jumping up and down as Tigerlily caught it, giving a short wind-up before shooting it towards him. Another twist on the game Slugger had added, they knew they could catch anything that came their way, so the only way to get an out was with a tag or at the bases.

King Monkey caught the ball seconds before Slugger crossed the base. He whooped and Slugger sneered, "Big deal. It's just the first out."

Another Slugger walked up to the plate with a cold expression on his face, making Chat smirk, "Still thinking that challenging us to a baseball game was wise?"

Slugger told him hard, "Pitch, stupid cat."

Ladybug said it hard, "Call my kitty stupid again and I'll chuck this yo-yo straight at your face!"

Chat blushed but sent her a wink, "Hey, don't worry about me bug." He barely turned back and threw the ball, Slugger hitting it straight towards Ladybug. She caught the ball and it sent her tumbling back towards center field. Slugger made it to first base and stayed there as she recovered.

The game went on like this, getting slightly harder as time went on. Chat was getting more serious too after Slugger scored his first run.

Throwing the final out for the first inning, Chat said it loudly, "HA!"

Slugger glared at him, "Don't get cocky kitty. It's my turn now."

Rena was up to bat first, swinging the bat once before getting ready. She hit the third pitch right past second base, sliding into first for the save.

Viperion went second, cracking a high ball that got Rena to third and himself to second.

Manticore went third, strategically this should have ended the game on his strength alone.

But Slugger smirked as though this was exactly what he wanted. When he threw the first pitch, none of them saw the ball leave his hand before it was in the catcher's glove.

Chat and Ladybug glanced at each other knowingly. He was using his powers to cheat. Well, two could play that game. Ladybug tapped Tigerlily and motioned to Manticore. Tigerlily asked worried, "Isn't that cheating?"

Chat smirked, "Think of it as, utilizing our resources."

Tigerlily shook her finger at him, "You give cats a bad name." They smirked at each other but Tigerlily called it quietly, "Willpower."

The ball stopped mid-air in front of Manticore who smirked and swung with all his might. The ball against the bat cracked like thunder, and Slugger said it hard, "CHEATING!"

"Says you! If you are using your powers, then we are using ours!" King Monkey said sternly.

The game got really interesting then. Powers were being used in the most unusual ways. Anyone who laid eyes upon the scene probably wouldn't have believed half of what they saw.

Manticore used Rage to run through three bases for their first run. Rena used Mirage to give Chat the opening to score the second.

King Monkey used Uproar to completely level the playing field on the disastrous amount of power being used all at once, and still Viperion had to use Second Chance to warn Ladybug about Slugger's dirty blinding trick at the last second.

Ladybug's Lucky Charm was a pair of sunglasses that she used against the blinding trick to score a home run and win the game.

When Ladybug finally called out, "Miraculous Ladybug!", the entire Miraculous team was relieved. They were all sore and tired, and completely over this fight.

Chat was rolling his sore shoulder next to Ladybug and told her seriously, "Bug, I don't ever want to play baseball ever again."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! More is coming soon so don't fret!**

**As always feel free to comment and review if you want!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	19. Evil Vegetation

**Hey everyone! I'm so sorry I haven't been posting as regularly. Life is going full throttle, between beta-reading, working, and writing my own stories, I just don't have enough time in the day! I have a few things that are almost finished, so hopefully I can get a few more things out here in the next week or so! Wish me luck!**

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs and follows!**

**Also, I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!**

**Day 7 -Evil Vegetation**

* * *

Carapace called out loudly, "CHAT I COULD USE SOME CLAWS OVER HERE!"

Chat sliced through the large, body-thick vines that had been coming at him before racing over to see Carapace being lifted into the air by the vines. He sliced through them and Carapace fell neatly, landing on his knee out of breath, "This is getting us nowhere Chat."

Chat was breathing heavily himself, both of them jumping back as another rush of vines came at them. He grabbed Carapace by the arm and vaulted them up to the rooftops where the vines hadn't reached yet.

"They, they are covering everything." Chat said in shock, seeing that the vines already covered most of the shorter buildings.

Carapace had his hands on his knees, "Dude, we can't keep going like this."

"The girls told us to hold them off for as long as we could." Chat reminded him.

"Yeah, that was when there were eight of us bro. Pegasus is a giant carrot. King Monkey turned into a banana tree. Rosetta is a pumpkin, and Tigerlily is ironically, a human sized tiger-striped lily." Carapace reminded him.

He frowned, looking out over the city being covered in green. They had dealt with a citywide change of scenery before, but these evil plants refused to stay down. It seemed like the more they cut into them, the more that actually got reproduced.

"The Hydra." Chat said suddenly as the idea hit him.

"Hydra, like from the Hercules Myth's?" Carapace asked confused.

Chat nodded, getting excited, "Yes. Cut off one head, and two more will take its place. Did you notice how every time we cut into these plants, the more that seem to grow?"

Carapace took a second but nodded, "Yeah, like they were somehow multiplying."

Chat smirked, "What if our giant plant is like a giant Hydra? Cutting its head is only going to make things worse."

"We have to go straight in for the kill, which means we have to find the main source." Carapace said catching on.

Chat pulled his baton and called her instantly. She was barely looking at the yoyo-phone as she asked worried, "Kitty, you okay?"

"We are fine. It's down to me and Cap, but m'lady I think we need to find the source." Chat told her.

"What do you think we've been doing kitten?" Rena yelled through the phone.

"We can't find the source, anywhere." Ladybug explained before asking, "Wait, why do you have that look like you figured something out?"

He smirked, "I think the akuma is like the Hydra from the Hercules Myth's."

Her eyes widened as she smiled, "You brilliant Chat. Cutting off one head is making more grow. Rena, let's go up! Kitty, meet us at Montparnasse."

"On the way m'lady." He said before snapping the baton closed. He and Carapace raced towards Montparnasse, climbing up to the roof where the girls landed seconds after they did.

"Your Hydra theory is great Kitty." Ladybug said as she walked over to them.

He reminded her, "But you guys couldn't find the source?"

Rena shook her head, "No, the more we tried to follow the vines, the more tangled we seemed to get."

Carapace was nodding, "Same with us. What are we supposed to do if we can't find it?"

Ladybug started pacing in silence while the three of them bounded ideas back and forth.

Ladybug suddenly stopped and pointed at Carapace, "Say that again."

Carapace hesitated, "Uhh, I said, maybe it's a nocturnal plant? They grow better in darker places, usually underground even though they have leaves or roots that grow up to collect sunlight."

Ladybug's eyes widened, "Of course! FOLLOW ME!"

She took off and Chat sighed heavily, calling after her as they followed blindly, "M'lady, you didn't actually give us a plan to work with."

She called back happily, "I don't have a plan!"

They all stared at her back a little worried. She always had a plan.

"So, what are we doing?" Rena asked her more than a little confused.

She stopped on the edge of a roof where vines were barely reaching the top, taking a deep breath and looking straight at Chat Noir with a wink, "Just think like me kitty."

He was instantly afraid, "M'lady, what are you d-, M'LADY!" She jumped straight down into the vines and he watched in horror as they dragged her down.

He was about to jump after her when Rena and Carapace each grabbed one of his arms to hold him back.

"We can't afford to lose both of you Chat!" Carapace told him loudly.

Chat stared at them with wide eyes, "She just jumped right into the vines! How are we supposed to get her back when we can't even find the aku-," he stopped mid-yelling, "-ma."

'Just think like me kitty.' Her voice echoed.

He yelled over the side down to the vines where she had disappeared, "YOU ARE BRILLIANT BUGABOO!"

Rena asked frustrated, "Can you explain how jumping into the monster's nest is brilliant kitten?"

Chat turned to her smiling, "She has one of the miraculous that Hawkmoth wants. We couldn't find where the main akuma is hiding, but by letting herself get captured, she's sure to be taken to it."

He pulled his baton and opened his map, seeing his ladybug icon moving at a rapid pace back towards the large fountain they all loved.

Rena and Carapace were watching the baton's map with him, seeing that it was staying steady there. Chat smirked, "And this, is why she is brilliant."

Carapace was smirking, "She led us to the location."

"Hell yes! Let's go!" Rena said excitedly, already taking off towards the fountain.

Carapace hit his arm lightly as they followed slowly, "Adrien, are we ever going to tell the girls that we know?"

Chat hesitated, "Bug, she'll get upset if she knows that we know. After everything with Master Fu, I," he sighed, "I don't want to mess this up. I want her to tell me on her own, when she's ready."

Carapace frowned, "You see how your lady is around you, outside of the mask. It could take YEARS for that girl to finally pull herself together. Then what?"

Chat smiled towards nothing in particular, "My love for her, is infinite. There is no expiration date. For her, I will wait a lifetime. It's just, not time yet. We have to be patient."

"But dude,"

He already knew what Nino was going to say, "My heart isn't in the duel it was a few months ago, and I know it will work itself out." He said it a little stronger, "One day, we'll breach the wall that separates us."

Carapace told him snorting, "Bro, you sound like a damn love song."

Chat chuckled, "By accident."

Even though he didn't see it, he knew Carapace was rolling his eyes, "Yeah, an accident."

Rena suddenly called back to them, "MOVE YOUR TAILS!"

They picked up speed and landed next to Rena who pointed down at the large fountain, "You see that reflection? It's wrong."

Chat looked closer and nodded, "A portal maybe?"

Carapace said it slowly, "Well, there's only one way to find out."

They jumped down near the fountain and were instantly pushed back by the large vines. Rena told him after they managed to fight through some of them, "Chat you go! We'll keep them from going through after you! Go get my girl back!"

She kicked back a few more vines, opening a path for him, "GO!"

He told her easily, "You are the best fox."

"I know." She said smirking, "Now get gone alley cat."

He ran towards the fountain, jumping over a few vines and twirling slightly in the air to avoid a few more. He managed to go straight into the fountain, head first, and dropped down in a pocket space underneath that was all earth. He followed the short tunnel to where it opened into a larger space. In the center of the room was a beautiful black flower that looked like a giant rose getting ready to bloom.

"Kitty cat." A small voice said.

He turned, pulling his baton and jumping back to get some distance. A small girl with short blonde hair was staring at him curiously, moving her head back and forth slightly. Her eyes were bright pink, and she was in a lilac dress covered in black flowers. She couldn't be more than three.

He put his baton away and kneeled, smiling at her, "Hi there. What's your name?"

She said it again, "Kitty cat." She smiled slightly, "Meow, meow."

He smiled a little brighter, trying to contain in his anger that Hawkmoth had gone after her, "That's right. The kitty goes meow."

He stood up and she put her hand up towards him, "Bad kitty cat!"

Vines instantly wrapped around his arms and legs, pulling him back to a kneeling position. "Okay, I won't stand up." He reached for his baton, but the vines were keeping him firmly in place.

He couldn't believe he was doing this, "Meow, meow."

Her eyes brightened slightly and she lowered her hand, letting out a small giggle, "Kitty cat."

He smiled at her softly, "Meow, meow."

She giggled again and took a step towards him. The vines grip was loosening as she got closer. As long as she was happy, and not feeling threatened, the vines weren't a threat.

"Meow, meow." He whispered as she touched his face. "Kitty, bugs bad. Yucky bugs."

His heart stuttered, "Bugs bad, where's the bug?"

She pointed to the large black flower behind him, "Fwower."

The vines fell from around his legs and he tried to stay as calm as he could when his first instinct was to cataclysm that flower to oblivion to get his lady out.

"Good job." He managed to get out, "The bad bug can't hurt you in there. Hey, did you know that there is a bad bug somewhere else?"

Her eyes widened and she looked around quickly, "No bad bugs. Pretty colors, wants them. Bad bugs takes away."

He saw the small band around her wrist, seeing the word 'color blind' on it in stark contrast to the deep purple of the bracelet itself.

Her color blindness was why she had gotten akumatized he realized.

Hawkmoth had given her the chance to see the color in the world, and he hated that he almost wished there was a way to let her keep it.

His heart broke for her that he had to take that away. He grabbed her hand gently, lifting it up to his lips and giving it a gentle kiss, "I'm sorry, but I have to get the bad bug away from you." He silently called Cataclysm, and touched the bracelet before she could move. The akuma flew out and he kept a watchful eye on it as he tore open the giant rose.

Ladybug fell out, coughing roughly as she tried to catch her breath. He told her quickly, "The akuma bug."

She looked up, instantly spotting the akuma. She caught and purified it quickly before setting off the Miraculous Ladybugs.

The little ladybugs moved them back to just outside the fountain. The little girl standing between them, shielding her eyes, "Bright, kitty."

Chat kneeled and picked her up, letting her bury herself in his shoulder. He explained to Ladybug about the color blindness and she looked around quickly. There was a tourist vendor at the far end of the fountain. She took off running and came back with a cute pair of sunglasses that had red and black ladybug spots on one side, and were black with a bright green paw print on the other.

The little girl put them on quickly, smiling at them brightly, "KITTY CAT! BUGSLADY!"

They all laughed at her innocent excitement.

"Sophia!" "Sophia where are you!"

They saw what were no doubt the little girl's parents frantically searching for her.

The girl's father saw them first and patted his wife on the arm before they rushed up to them.

Sophia started going off quickly, her language becoming increasingly harder to decipher as she went into her father's arms. Her parents thanked them for finding her. The foursome watched the parents walk away with the little girl before taking off themselves, finding the rest of their team.

Ladybug and Rena dropped down near her balcony, going inside before letting their transformations go.

Alya asked her right away, "How long are you going to do this to yourself girl? That Chat loves you."

Marinette sighed, letting herself fall back heavily on her chaise, "Exactly. Chat loves Ladybug. I know that. He always has." She put her arm over her eyes, "Adrien doesn't love me for me. Ladybug is the only thing he see's."

Alya moved her arm and told her sternly, "That isn't true. I heard those idiots talking after you stupidly jumped into those evil vines. They forget that fox hearing is nearly as good as Chat's."

Marinette sat up and frowned, "Wait, heard them talking about what?"

Alya cursed to herself. She wasn't supposed to know, that they knew who each other was under the mask.

"They were talking about you, and Chat said that he would wait a lifetime for you. Adrien doesn't want to say anything because he knows how important identities are to you."

Her eyes widened, "H-he knows!"

Alya let her sit with it for a few seconds before confirming it, "Yeah, Nino and Adrien both do. It sounded like Chat and Carapace have known for a while."

Marinette pulled a pillow over face and screamed. She was terrible at being the guardian.

Alya asked as she put the pillow back down, "Feel better?"

"Not really."

"So, what are you going to do?" Alya asked curious.

Marinette shook her head, "What can I do? I told you in case something ever happened to me, so that you would know where the box is and so that you could give it to Chat Noir." She put her head in her hands, "All four of us knowing, it's,"

"Going to be okay." Alya tried to assure her. "The four of us are a great team, you know that."

"But what if Hawkmoth,"

"We'll just have to be more careful. We know, we can't take that back. And it may be better this way, so that we can easily get in touch with the others," she frowned, "Unlike the mess this afternoon of having to track everyone down."

She shook her head quickly, "Marinette." Alya put her hands on her shoulders, staring her in the eye, "Listen to this sentence. The boy you are in love with, is in love with you. No Ladybug, no Chat Noir, no Adrien, no Marinette." Alya smiled at her, "He's waiting on you, so what are you waiting for?"

Marinette closed her eyes, "For the wall between us to be breached. I've tried Alya. I can barely keep myself together around Chat Noir, and its still feels impossible around Adrien. Everything I say to him comes out ridiculous. I just, it feels like I'll never be able to tell him how I feel."

Alya told her instantly, "Just say it. Say it out loud so that you know you can. Act like I'm not even here."

Marinette opened her eyes, "It's not that easy."

Alya groaned and pulled out her phone, frowning at it, "I have to go. This conversation is far from over. We need to tell the boys that we know, and that we know that they know. Soon."

Marinette nodded, "Soon."

Alya left and she sighed heavily, hugging her black cat pillow to her chest as she stared at the ceiling.

She could get it out. She knew she could.

"Adrien," she smiled slightly, "I want to show you how happy you make me. If we could just see each other beyond the mirrors and masks, if we could drop the act for one night, would you let me break down the wall that separates us? Would you let me whisper it to the wind, and give us that unique chance, even knowing that I shouldn't?" She sighed heavily, "I know one day you'll see that with me, you don't have to be anyone but yourself." She felt the tears starting in her eyes, "My heart is yours kitty. It has been for a long time. I love you."

She squeezed her eyes shut, but that didn't stop the tears from flowing past relentlessly.

Two short, sharp taps reached her and she sat up quickly. She wiped her face as she realized that Chat was on her balcony. She called up to him quickly, "C-come in Chat."

He opened the hatch and dropped down, not saying a word.

She could barely look at him, "W-what brings you by? Is everything okay?"

He closed the distance between them, but didn't move to touch her. He was just staring into her eyes, willing her to see the truth.

She whispered, "Chat?"

"Marinette." He whispered back.

She waited for him to say anything else, but all she heard was her heart thundering against her chest.

"Chaton."

He lifted a hand and ran his claws softly through her flowing hair, saying it lovingly. He could play the name game. He didn't need to hear anymore than what he had heard just now, "Purrincess."

"Kitty." She responded, realizing that they were only saying each other's names.

He smiled slightly, "You are going to make me say it first aren't you?"

She shook her head, "I don't know what you are talking about."

"You are a bad liar m'lady." He said simply.

She said in the same tone, refusing to react to the name he had called her for so long. "And you are stubborn Sunshine."

He cupped her cheek so she couldn't look away, "But you love me, and I love you, bugaboo."

She could feel herself being drawn to him, watching his eyes closing as they inched closer, "Stop calling me bugaboo, Adrien."

She pressed her lips to his and he pulled her closer, kissing her deeply.

He pulled away, letting his forehead rest against hers, "You'll always be my bugaboo, and my lady, and my princess, Marinette. I love everything that makes you, you. Not just one part."

She hugged him tightly, "And you'll always be my Chaton, my Kitty," she looked up at him and smiled, "my Prince."

She saw him blush and told him the truth, "I've always loved you Adrien, and I always will. My love for you, is infinite."

He hugged her tightly, lifting her off of her feet for a few seconds before smiling at her brightly, "No more wall separating us."

She grabbed his hand and held it to her heart with her own hand, "No more wall separating us."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! More is coming soon so don't fret!**

**Also, could you tell that the recently released Miraculous song by Lou and Lenni-Kim inspired me? ^-^' Listening to it on loop as we speak(read? well whatever you get it). If you haven't heard it yet, you should go give it a listen!**

**As always feel free to comment and review if you want!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	20. Don't look under the bed

**Hey everyone! So, not gonna lie, I am running out of idea's for the last few prompts, that's why I have sort of slowed down with them and am not posting as regularly to this. Sometimes an idea hits, but some of these are way left field for me. One of them is 'Awful Grafitti Art' and I swear I am staring at the title like, what the heck. If I get an idea for the prompt I will for sure post it though, so no worries there!**

**Thanks to everyone who is reviewing, and for all the favs and follows! You guys melt my camembert heart!**

**Also I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!**

**Day 23 - "Don't look under the bed"**

* * *

Marinette jumped up in triumph, seeing the look of complete devastation on Adrien's face before he let his head hang.

"In your face Agreste!" She said happily, her victory completely removing her stuttering.

"Man, I really thought I had you this time." He said before falling back against the couch heavily.

Nino and Alya laughed, "And that was what sealed your fate Sunshine." "You thought wrong dude."

Adrien shot them quick glares before smiling and turning back to Marinette, "Let's go again."

She smirked, "Ready to lose again so quickly?"

"I have confidence." Adrien said teasing. "A tactful effort will be made that will de-throne the great Queen."

Marinette blushed slightly but said it with a small smirk, "This Queen hasn't lost her throne yet."

Alya's eyes lit up in mischief, "Ooo, idea! Why don't you guys make a little bet?"

Adrien and Marinette looked at each other for a few more seconds before asking, "Like what?"

Alya's grinned widened, and Nino warned her simply, "Alya,"

She waved him off, "Oh you hush. I have just the thing." Alya looked between them, "How about you play best two out of three? Winner takes all, and loser suffers a loss unlike any other."

Adrien raised an eyebrow, "Which would be?"

Nino shook his head in silence. Adrien didn't know what kind of door he had just opened.

"The winner," Alya looked straight at Marinette, "gets to keep one item of value to the loser."

"What!?" Marinette shrieked.

"Nothing super personal girl, but something you would miss all the same." Alya put her hand on her chin in thought, "How about we let the winner go into the other's room and choose said item?"

Adrien said it quickly, "Sure. I'm game. Marinette?"

Marinette hesitated, but what were the odds that she would lose?

"All right," she said confidently, "You're on."

Adrien said it instantly as he grabbed the controller next to him, "I already know exactly what I'm after."

They all looked at him in shock, Nino asking first, "You do?"

Adrien nodded with a smirk, "Yep."

Marinette refused to let that smirk fog her brain. She had a mission. She was in it, to win it. There would be no mercy, not even for Adrien. Not this time.

The first round started on screen and she gained the upper hand rather quickly.

"How was your date with Kagami, Adrien?" Nino asked suddenly.

Her finger slipped as Adrien answered simply, "It wasn't a date. I don't like Kagami that way. We are just friends."

Her heart fluttered happily. Adrien wasn't in love with Kagami. Did that mean, she actually still had a chance? Her vision blurred in her happiness, and the first bell round suddenly sounded, "Winner, Adrien!" Alya announced happily.

Marinette stared at the screen hard, when did that happen?

She looked straight at Adrien who was still smirking in a way that annoyed her to no end. He looked so much like Chat Noir at that moment she wanted to transform just to chuck her yo-yo at his beautiful blonde head.

"What happened Marinette? Looks like your throne is slipping through your fingers." Adrien teased with that Chat Noir-like grin.

She glared fireballs at him, her voice dropping, "Start round two."

She saw Nino and Alya smirking, and knew they were trying to distract her so that he would win. She would bet anything that they had planned it that way from the beginning. She would show them.

Adrien let out a soft laugh, "Ready to lose again so soon?"

She huffed in silence, her eyes glued to the screen. Round two started and she smirked as she gained an upgrade for her Mecha. She told Adrien before her cheater friends could try to distract her again, "I really like you Adrien."

She heard all three of them nearly choke, and even though she knew Adrien was staring at her, she smirked as the victory bell cried out in her favor, "Especially when I kick your butt."

She looked over at him, seeing his face an abnormal shade of red. She asked smirking, "Who was losing a throne again?"

He blinked a few times before he let out a shaky breath, "We, uh, still have one more round."

Marinette said it happily, "If you insist. Alya, Nino," she glared at both of them, "You breath a word and you are dead to me."

Alya busted out laughing, "Okay, okay, we were just trying to give him a fighting chance."

"Yeah dudette." Nino said sheepishly.

She held their eyes for a few more seconds before saying it, "Let's go."

Adrien started round three and this time, their fight was actually pretty even, much to Marinette's horror and Adrien's joy.

She heard Alya whisper something to Nino who chuckled quietly.

Adrien was smirking, "I can still hear you both you know."

Alya whispered it, "If she hears us we are going to be dead to her."

"You didn't say we would be dead to you." Nino whispered the same way.

Marinette rolled her eyes, "All three of you are ridiculous, why I am friends with you again?"

"You know you love us." Adrien said still smiling, catching her eyes for a few seconds.

Her heart stopped beating for a single breath, and her hands stopped moving.

The victory screen pulled up and Adrien smirked, "Guess a new King needs to be crowned."

Damn him and that smile.

She conceded, saying it threateningly, "Rematch, next weekend."

Adrien bowed when he stood, "I accept your challenge valiant warrior." He had that Chat Noir smirk on his face again, "Lead the way."

She groaned and fell against the floor facedown, before perking up, "Are you really going to go into a girl's room and take one of her most valuable possessions?"

He actually looked a little torn before Alya said it easily, "Yes he is. He won fair and square so suck it up buttercup!"

Marinette groaned as she got up, feeling like she was leading her executioner to the gallows. She was at her trapdoor when she realized it, "Wait you can't go in there, it's a total disaster!"

Alya and Nino were right behind Adrien, "Well then he'll just have to search for whatever he's after."

Adrien smiled at her kindly, "I bet it's not that bad."

She knew her room was actually pretty clean, it were the pictures on the wall that she hadn't had the chance to take down that were the real problem.

She felt herself blushing, and Adrien suggested it slowly, "Why don't I go in by myself, in and out, no more than three minutes, will that work?"

Three minutes was more than enough to no doubt ruin her life.

Alya answered for her, "Three is great. Come on Marinette."

She groaned and opened the trapdoor. She walked in first and he followed, smiling as he looked around, "Let's see here,"

She groaned again and told him seriously, "You take any of my sewing stuff and I will come hunt you down Agreste, got it?"

He smirked, "Wouldn't dream of it."

She left the room, hoping he didn't notice all the pictures, and hoping he didn't take anything she really, really loved.

She stood at the bottom of the stairs defeated, Alya smirking at her in triumph, "Oh come on girl, it can't be that bad."

Nino was trying to hold his smirk back, "Yeah dudette, you know how Adrien is. He is probably going to take a pencil or something."

She let her head hang as her arms went limp at her sides, "Ugh, its not that. I don't care that he takes anything. I just don't want him to find the," she shot up straight and looked at them in horror, "Oh no, oh no, I haven't moved it, ADRIEN!"

She bolted back up the stairs, yelling loudly, "DON'T LOOK UNDER THE BED!"

She barely had her hand on the handle when it was opening, and he was smiling at her, "Don't worry. I didn't. Though now I'm curious."

She said it quickly, waving her hands in the air, "Oh no, no it's nothing. Nothing at all, just some, early Christmas presents for everyone, yeah," she laughed nervously, "Nothing serious."

He smiled, "Mine too?"

She nodded, blushing slightly. It wasn't everyone's presents, just his, actually.

He told her softly, "I didn't see anything, promise."

He took a small step towards her and she asked curious, "You already took something?"

He nodded, smiling as he put his hands in his jacket pockets, "Yep. You won't even notice it's gone I bet."

She had to know, "What did you take?"

He laughed softly, and walked past her.

She stared at his back in shock. He really wasn't going to tell her. She was about to head up into her room to find out when Alya called up the stairs, "Come on Marinette, we are going to go get ice cream! André's out!"

She hesitated before going back down stairs. She would have all night to figure it out.

They left the bakery and found André on a bridge that crossed the Siene, a little ways off from the main bridge everyone used.

The were eating their ice cream happily by the river, waiting for Marinette to get hers, when Alya asked Adrien, "Did you do it?"

He smiled down at his ice cream, "Yeah. Do you think she'll find it?"

Nino asked worried, "Was her room really that much of a mess?"

"Not at all." He told them honestly.

Alya smiled at him, "She'll find it. We'll all hear her scream in joy all across Paris whenever she does find it."

Adrien said it heavily, "I hope so. What if you are wrong about this Alya?"

Alya looked at him sternly, "Did you actually SEE that girl's room?"

He told her gently, "She is a fan of my father's work. It's not surprising that she has pictures of me hanging up, and honestly it was only a few of the more recent ones. She has a lot of her designs up though."

Nino patted his shoulder, "Dude, trust us. It's going to work."

He sighed before taking another bite of ice cream, "What's going to work?"

He turned and saw Marinette sitting next to him, ice cream in hand. He said it quickly, "Asking my father to let me have that rematch next week."

"Oh," she said a little disappointed, "I hope he does. It seems like he's been a little more lenient lately."

Adrien nodded, "Yeah, that's what worries me."

Alya distinctly changed the subject to her favorite heroes and their still platonic relationship. She had no idea that she was putting Marinette and Adrien more on edge then they already were.

"I mean seriously, we all see how much they love each other. Why do they have to be so difficult?!" Alya asked sternly.

Nino said it calmly, "Ladybug and Chat Noir are partners Alya, and they keep Paris safe from Hawkmoth. What they want to do beyond that isn't up to us."

Adrien instantly agreed, "Yeah, and who knows, maybe they are just destined to be great friends."

Marinette instantly hoped on board THAT friend train, "Inseparable friends. I mean after all, they do fight together. I'm sure they are closer then everyone thinks Alya."

Alya glared at all three of them, "Do none of you ship them? Even a little? Hello, ever heard of LadyNoir? Are you living under a rock!"

The three of them laughed at her anger, only causing her to pout, knowing she had a losing argument on her side.

They separated after finishing off their ice cream. Nino was going to make sure Alya got home, not so subtlety giving his bro time alone with Marinette.

Adrien and Marinette walked in comfortable silence. He kept sneaking glances at her, still trying to figure out how he had missed it all this time. He had always known that Marinette was pretty, but he couldn't tell you when he started thinking of her as beautiful. He couldn't even tell you if he had truly noticed it first as Chat Noir, or as Adrien. He didn't know if it was her genuine kindness, or her willingness to help people. He didn't know if it was how courageous she was, or how she seemed to instinctually know how to make people feel better. He didn't know if it was the way her smile would instantly lift his mood, or if it was the way her laugh caused his heart turn in circles that only made him want to hear it more.

He couldn't tell you when he fell in love with her.

But he was.

Alya had caught him staring at Marinette across the commons at school, smiling simply because she had been as she worked on another design. He hadn't been able to keep it secret from Alya, or Nino, for very long after that. They had been trying to help him work up the courage to ask her out, but his terrible Black Cat bad luck always seemed to interfere. Two months he had been trying to do this. And two months straight he had failed.

He let out a heavy sigh and Marinette asked concerned, "Something wrong?"

He instantly smiled at her, "Oh, no its nothing. Thinking too hard."

She frowned slightly, "You know I'm here for you right, if you need someone to talk to."

He nodded, "Thanks Marinette. I'll be okay." He thought it to himself, '_I hope._'

"You sure?" She asked like she didn't really believe him.

"Paw-sitive." He said easily.

She groaned before pushing his arm, "Ugh, don't you start. Chat Noir's humor is not something to idolize."

He couldn't help but laugh at the cute, scrunched up face she was wearing. She looked nearly as annoyed as Ladybug, "Oh come on, who doesn't love a good pun Marinette?"

"Try living with my father. Then you'd understand." She said like that should have explained everything.

"Maybe next time I'll ask if he _kneads_, any help." He said smirking. "I don't know the first thing about baking, but I'll try to, _rise_, to the occasion."

She groaned again, but said it teasing, "You are a dork Adrien."

They both started laughing, enjoying the rest of the afternoon until Adrien realized where they were.

They were standing right outside of the mansion gates, "Did you just walk me home?"

Marinette laughed, "Had to make sure you weren't attacked on your way home. Remember Adrien the Fragrance?"

He internally felt his stomach twist into uncomfortable knots, "Don't remind me." He told her seriously, "I don't think I ever thanked you for that."

She started to blush, "You don't have to thank me. You were nearly attacked, and your bodyguard was akumatized, AND you jumped off of Montparnasse like a lunatic." She looked down, "At least Ladybug was able to help you. I wasn't able to do much."

He frowned at her, "That's not true. If it wasn't for you, I never would have gotten away from all that craziness."

She smiled slightly and he told her, "To say thank you, how about I give you hint about what I took?"

She asked curious, "Really, you won't just tell me?"

"How about I tell you that I put something in its place?" He said mysteriously.

Her eyes widened, "Like what?"

He opened the gates and told her, "Guess you'll have to find out when you get home. Let me know you made it home safe. That was MY job after all."

She smiled, waving at him as he disappeared up the stairs and into the house. In seconds she was running home, more eager then ever to figure out what he had taken.

She was trying not to be excited, but she was sure that Adrien was, all afternoon, flirting with her. Right? That wasn't just her imagination. All those smirks and side-glances he thought she hadn't seen. Oh she had seen, but could it be possible? She didn't know for sure, but she was going to find out.

…

Adrien let himself fall back heavily on his bed, the smile never leaving his face. Plagg floated out of his pocket and hovered above him, "Why didn't you just ask her straight out?"

Adrien pulled the picture out of his pocket and smiled at it, "Because every time I try to ask her, something goes wrong. Someone gets in the way, an akuma shows up, I have to leave, she has to leave, ANOTHER akuma shows up. Plagg, it's been like hell. At least this way, there is nothing to stop me from screwing it up."

Plagg shook his head, "Teen romance. Ugh. There isn't enough Camembert in the world to deal with love-sick kittens."

Adrien stared up at the picture, his heart filled with hope. It was the only picture he knew of where it was just him and Marinette. Alya had taken it, but had given the only copy to Marinette before deleting it from even her phone.

That's why she had agreed to help him get the picture from Marinette's room, and Nino was more than glad to lend a helping hand.

The picture was of the two of them, sleeping on the Star Train.

Why did he want it?

Because despite the fact they were both asleep, they were smiling. Their fingertips had overlapped slightly, so they were nearly holding hands.

He could see how relaxed he was with her, and how natural it seemed to be that they had moved that close.

This was how he wanted to be with her, all the time.

He and Ladybug were in a good place now, their friendship stronger then ever. She had even given him advice on how to approach Marinette, not that he had ever used her name in front of Ladybug. While her advice had been spot on (of course the pun was intended), it had always backfired.

He hoped that this time, as he put the picture in an empty frame and set it on his nightstand, that he had just enough Ladybug luck for this to work.

…

She glared around her nearly destroyed room. Nothing was missing. Nothing had been out of place. There wasn't anything in any of her drawers, nothing missing from her shelves. It had to have been something small, something he could have fit into a pocket. But what? What the hell could he have taken?

She threw herself back on her bed with a groan, Tikki asking worried, "Are you okay Marinette?"

"Adrien took something, and I have no idea what it was. He told me he put something in its place, but so far it doesn't seem like anything it missing or is out of place." She sat up quickly, startling her little kwami, "Tikki! You were in the room weren't you?"

Tikki fiddled with her paws nervously, "Uh, actually, I was, up, on the balcony."

She stared at Tikki in shock, "Doing what?"

Tikki looked like she was starting to glow red. Was she, blushing?

"I was, talking to Chat Noir's kwami. He, came to see me." Tikki said before letting it spill out of her, "I'm so sorry Marinette, I should have stayed in your room I know. That was really reckless of me and we could have been seen but we were really careful, and we hadn't had the chance to talk in a while, but his holder was nearby so he risked coming to see me and,"

"Tikki, Tikki, it's okay. I'm not mad. I'm glad he came to see you. I know you must miss him." Marinette told her.

Tikki nodded, "I do, a lot."

Marinette held up her hands and Tikki sat down instantly, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Tikki shook her head, "No, you don't have to worry Marinette. Everything will work out the way it's supposed to."

Tikki nuzzled her cheek and told her, "Maybe you should clean up your room a little bit before you go to sleep. You do have school tomorrow you know."

Marinette groaned but realized how much of a mess her room actually was as she had frantically searched. Once her room was clean and back in order, with still no luck hunting down the missing object, she laid down in bed. Tikki settled next to her as she grabbed her phone, scrolling through a few of the newest posts Alya had added to the blog. It was still early after all. Well, for her anyways.

She glanced up to her favorite picture with a smile, before her smile instantly fell and she sat up quickly, "No, where is it?" She frantically started to search for it. It had to have fallen off or something. Was it under the bed?

She looked but couldn't find anything, just the almost finished jacket she was making for Adrien for Christmas.

She glared at her board, and finally noticed the folded piece of paper that was pinned in its place. She jumped back on the bed and grabbed it, unfolding it quickly in shock.

_'Marinette~_

_I'm sorry I took your picture. I know it's the only copy, and it's also the only picture of the two of us alone. I know if I had asked, you would have given me a copy, but this way I had the chance to leave this for you._

_For the past couple of months, I've been trying to figure out what to do, what to say. Even now, I'm struggling to get this out. I've never really been good with words, but I'm going to try my best._

_This is, a lot harder then I thought it would be, and I swear I have tried to tell you face to face. It seems like my string of bad luck finally caught up with me, especially when it comes to you. That's not an excuse for this I know, but I had to get it out somehow before I went crazy._

_I think you are beautiful. You are smart and resourceful. You care about everyone effortlessly, and there is so much goodness in your heart, I don't know how you do it. Your smile makes even my worst days better, and your laugh brightens a room unlike anything I've ever seen. Being your friend, has genuinely been the best thing that could have ever happened to me._

_But I hope, if you'll give me a chance, that we can be more than friends. You already mean so much more to me than that. I understand if you don't feel the same way, but I still need you to know._

_I love you._

_I'm completely, madly, in love with you._

_I hope you'll let me tell you in person tomorrow when I see you again._

_Sweet dreams, my beautiful princess._

_~Adrien'_

Endless streams of tears were flowing out of her eyes as she read his letter over and over again, waiting for the words to change, waiting to wake up from this beautiful dream.

…

He felt like he was going to be sick.

What if she never found the letter?

What if she really didn't feel the same way?

Oh god, what if she did find it AND didn't feel the same way? Would things be awkward between them for the rest of their lives? Would he be able to salvage his friendship with her?

He put his head in his hands and Nino told him seriously, "Dude, you look like you were hit by a train."

"Thanks." He muttered dryly.

Nino laughed, "Bro, she either found it or she didn't but I am telling you, stop worrying so much."

"Easy for you to say. You have Alya." Adrien told him still hiding in his hands. They had fifteen minutes before classes started, but what if she didn't show up today at all? Was that his sign that his bad luck had really peaked?

"Dude." Nino said suddenly in shock.

He waited for Nino to say something else, but didn't move to look at him.

"Dude," Nino said, shaking his arm slightly.

He asked with a frown as he looked up at him, "What?"

Nino used a finger to turn his face away from him, out towards the commons.

His heart stopped beating.

Marinette was walking with Alya, dressed in a beautiful Ladybug spotted red sundress. The sleeves went down to her wrists, but were open from her shoulders to her elbow. Her hair was braided around her head like a crown where it was pulled forward and resting over her left shoulder. She was absolutely stunning.

He found himself moving slowly to stand from the bench, not able to take his eyes off of her. He didn't even realize that Alya had nudged her towards him, or that Nino had nudged him towards her. Once he was moving, he couldn't stop even if he wanted to, and he didn't want to.

He realized he was having trouble breathing, and that suddenly, all he could see were her deep bluebell eyes.

"Hi." She whispered softly, a soft blush staining her cheeks.

"Hi." He said shyly, "Did you," he had to know.

"Yes." She said before he could finish.

"Will you let me,"

"Please." She whispered longingly.

He grabbed her hands and brought them up, holding them to his chest, "I love you Marinette." He saw the tears in her eyes and smiled, feeling his heart kick into overdrive, "I'm completely, madly, in love with you. Will you go out with me?"

"I thought you'd never ask." She whispered before leaning up and kissing him strongly. He pulled her closer as her hands went around his neck.

In the back of his mind, he was sure he heard the distinct excitement of most of his classmates crying out their joy.

He couldn't concentrate on that now though.

The only thing that mattered was the beautifully kind girl in his arms, where he hoped she stayed for a long, long time.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I know the prompt didn't have _too_ much to do with this, but it was in quotes so I figured hey, as long as I worked it in, mission accomplished. Wipe my hands clean of this prompt, now on to the next one!**

**As always feel free to comment and review if you want!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	21. Revenge of the Phones

**Hey everyone! Back to back I know. I was gonna wait until tomorrow but I thought, hey why not! This one is short and sweet, I hope you enjoy!**

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! Melty Camembert Hearts!**

**Also, I do not own the characters, just the plot!**

**Day 24 - Revenge of the phones**

* * *

"No, no, no NO! WHY DID IT DO THAT!" Marinette screeched as she stared at the inoffensive little '_Sent_' icon in the corner.

Tikki giggled, "You hit the button Marinette."

"NO! I was trying to delete it!" Marinette told her, throwing herself face first into her pillow, "My life is over. This is it. It's the end. Goodbye cruel world. Why does this always happen to me? Technology hates me!"

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.

She screamed and threw the phone away from her like it was an akuma she wanted to avoid.

"Marinette, you have to calm down." Tikki said as she flew over to the phone, smiling brightly, "He responded!"

She curled up into a ball and tried to make herself disappear, "Oh, don't tell me that Tikki. I bet I just ruined what little friendship I had with him. God he's probably going to hate me!"

Her phone started to ring and she looked up quickly as Tikki told her, "He's calling now! You'll have to talk to him eventually Marinette, you might as well get it over with." Tikki carried the phone over to her, but Marinette immediately put it facedown next to her.

"I can't Tikki, I'm such a spaz, I never meant for that to happen." She said whining, holding back her tears.

The phone continued to alternate between beeping and ringing, for nearly an hour. Tikki just sat on her knee in silence, watching her holder's internal struggle with what she had done. Every time the phone went off, she could feel Marinette flinch, and a few more tears would always fall.

Tikki knew she hadn't meant to tell him through a text, she was supposed to have simply been asking to meet him so they could talk. Of course her holder was one of those people who ranted when they were nervous, letting out all kinds of things with no filters whatsoever. On top of that was Marinette's ability to be unlucky despite all the luck around her.

Thus, the delicate emotional issue at hand.

There was a sudden distinctive, albeit somewhat frantic, tapping at her skylight.

She pulled the lounge pillow over her head and heard Tikki sigh before she disappeared. She heard the soft thump of boots landing somewhere near her but refused to look up at him.

How was she supposed to look at him, after all this time, after everything she had done and said, how was she ever supposed to make it right?

"Marinette," he whispered in front of her.

She shook her head, but kept the pillow firmly in place so that he couldn't try to take it from her.

"I'm not angry." He said gently.

Her head snapped up, Chat's face was inches from hers. "Are you, disappointed?"

He touched her face gently, making sure his claws didn't pierce her skin, "A little, but not for the reason you probably think. I would have rather just heard it straight from you." He smiled slightly, "Of course I can't say I was disappointed when I read it so."

She told him instantly, "I never meant for it to come out like that I swear I,"

He put a clawed finger to her lips, "I promise, I'm not mad." He smiled a little brighter, repeating what she had sent in the text, "I just love you like crazy and want you to know the truth about me too, bugaboo."

She felt the tears starting up again, "I pushed you away, over and over again, and still, even when you visited me like this I,"

"Plagg, Claws In." He said interrupting her.

She closed her eyes for a second against the intense green magic that swirled around him as his transformation fell.

"M'lady." He said softly, putting his hand back to her face.

She opened her eyes and felt her heart skip, "A-Adrien."

He asked worried, "Disappointed?"

She let out a crazed laugh, covering her mouth quickly when his face fell, before throwing her arms around him, "No, I could never be disappointed Kitty. I pushed Chat away, because I was in love with Adrien."

"Was?" He asked as he hugged her back.

She looked into his eyes, "Was, am, always will be, forever and always, completely, wildly, infinitely, in love with you."

"I love you too bugaboo." He told her strongly, resting his forehead against hers.

"FINALLY!" Alya's voice erupted in the silence.

They both jumped back, and Marinette realized her phone was on a call to her best friend.

Marinette and Adrien stared at each other in horror as Marinette asked shakily, "A-Alya, how, how much of that did you hear?"

Alya said it instantly, "Oh LB, you owe me an interview to end all interviews and you Chat, you better take care of my best friend or so help me, I will Mirage you the worst of your worst nightmares."

Marinette face-palmed hard as Adrien said it in shock, "Alya is Rena Rouge!"

Alya went quiet for a few seconds, "Uh, whoops. Sorry LB."

She sighed, "It's fine." She winked at Adrien, "Chat's out of the bag now."

His eyes brightened and he tackled her into a strong hug, "You, are the love of my life."

She laughed as he nuzzled his nose into her neck, and Alya asked quickly, "But seriously, my ships are simultaneously sailing and I want to know all the details! And come on, you guys know I won't say anything so don't leave anything out!"

Adrien took the phone from her hand and smirked as he told her, "Maybe another time fox. For now, you'll have to settle for this." He hung up and she laughed, telling him somewhat seriously, "She will call back."

He smirked, "I know." He opened her camera and she raised an eyebrow at him, "What are you doing Kitty?"

"Smile bug." He said simply, holding the phone out away from them.

She rolled her eyes. She was already smiling. She hadn't been able to stop since he dropped his transformation. He suddenly turned her face towards his, and she saw his intent as they closed the distance, their lips pressed together softly. She heard the camera shutter and Adrien pulled away with a grin, "Let her sit on this."

He sent Alya the picture triumphantly, laughing when the phone rang seconds later.

She laughed with him, knowing he had no intent to answering it. Suddenly his phone went off in his pocket, and he frowned, "It's Nino." He answered it worried, "Hey, what's up?"

"DUDE!" Nino screamed, causing Adrien to pull the phone away from his ear, "YOU ARE AT MARINETTE'S AND YOU KISSED HER!"

Adrien's eyes widened, "What, how did you,"

"Marinette sent me and the entire class the picture! It's in a giant group chat with all of us in it!" Nino was telling them loudly, "CONGRATS BRO!"

Adrien hung up on his best friend and saw the group message with the picture attached. It was, in fact, sent to everyone in their class.

He looked straight at Marinette who was staring at him in horror, "Adrien, you didn't."

He swallowed hard, "Uhh, whoops."

She put her head in her hands, "You, are dead Kitty. Tikki, Spots On."

He flinched, already standing as her transformation took hold, "Bug, just, be reasonable, it was an accident. I must have, hit the, send, all, button."

Ladybug grabbed her yo-yo, her eyes tense, "You have a five second head start Agreste. One."

He was already climbing up the ladder, "Plagg, Claws Out!"

"Two."

He had barely finished transforming when he broke out of her room.

"Three."

He was on the railing and already had his baton in his hand.

"Four."

He jumped and heard her right behind him, "FIVE!"

He landed on the roof across from her balcony when he felt the yo-yo zip straight past his feline ear, "Bug I'm sorry!"

"You aren't sorry yet but you are going to be Chat Noir!" Ladybug called out angrily as she raced after him.

They raced all around the city, knowing that people could see AND hear them shouting back and forth. Ladybug threatening to string Chat up by his tail, his ears, his collar, his bell, his boots, whatever she could get her hands on first. While he apologized in every conceivable way possible, multiple times, in multiple languages, even as he ran at a full sprint with no intent to stop.

She finally managed to get her yo-yo around him when he looked back. He misjudged the distance and missed his jumping point. His foot slipped at the last second, and the yo-yo string tightened around him as he went over the edge. She pulled him to a stop, inches before he slammed into the ground.

She let him hang there, swinging back and forth slightly, as she said trying not to laugh, "Learn your lesson yet kitten?"

He tried to look up at her, hiding his own smirk. He knew she had stopped really being mad a while ago. It had been a long time since they had just let loose like that, "Maybe."

He felt the line go slack.

He landed on his head with a hard thud, knowing he'd be feeling the headache later.

She landed next to him, offering him a hand up with a soft smirk. He took it and pulled her into his arms when he was upright again.

They were kissing before either of them knew what was happening, a real kiss this time, a kiss they had both been denying themselves for too long.

When he pulled away, he let his tail tighten around her waist where it had wrapped around her. She said it loud enough so that everyone around them, who were all staring at the two heroes' in joy, could hear, "I love you Kitty."

He smiled down at her, "I love you too m'lady, but you scare me sometimes."

She tapped the tip of his nose with her finger, not trying to hide her smirk, "Good."

She told him seriously, "I'm completely done with technology. Phones are a horror on this world."

He laughed, "Well, if it wasn't for that accidental send earlier, beautiful girlfriend of mine, we probably wouldn't be in this position."

"Exactly my point." She said, holding him closer.

He said it lovingly, "I'm all right where I'm standing." He looked down between them, where there was literally no space to be seen.

She smiled up at him, "I guess they have their uses." He vaulted them back onto the rooftops, but never let her leave his arms.

"I am sorry, for not saying anything before Chat." She said sincerely.

He kissed her forehead, "I know why you didn't. When I read it, I was more surprised by how unsurprised I was. Of course I'd go and fall for the same girl twice, that's just my luck."

He winked at her and she told him smiling, "Actually, I did the same thing. That's MY luck."

They laughed together before deciding to head to their favorite perch at the top of the Eiffel Tower, where they sat hand in hand, watching the sun set.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! More will be coming soon so don't fret! Just a few more prompts to go, but that Grafitti one ugh, I still have no idea.**

**As always feel free to comment and review if you want! Love you guys to pieces!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	22. Everyone is a Pumpkin

**Hey everyone! Do I know it's not October? Of course. Do I care that it's only April? Eh, not so much. I was looking through some docs and found this and thought hey, let's wrap up those October One-Shots! So, here we go! These are probably going to be much shorter than the previous ones(some not all) but I hope you enjoy them all the same! I'm starting from the bottom (Day 31) and going up this time until the last few prompts are out.**

**Of course I don't own the characters silly. Just the plot.^-^ Enjoy!**

**Day 31 - Everyone is a Pumpkin**

* * *

"What do you mean calm down!" She said, waving her hands wildly as Chat bit his bottom lip, trying really, really hard not to laugh.

"M'Lady, honestly, it could be worse." He managed to get out, his bottom lip immediately going back between his teeth as he held his breath. He wasn't going to last much longer, and her face was priceless.

Ladybug looked like she was about to have a heart attack, but what he said was at least true. They had seen far worse powers than the docile one currently wreaking havoc across Paris.

"Chat, everyone is a pumpkin!" She yelled horrified, and he broke.

He grabbed at his stomach and laughed, tears falling from his eyes as he felt the slight stabbing pain in his side from laughing so hard. He couldn't help himself, "Don't," more laughing, "Don't worry M'Lady, we'll SQUASH, this situation."

He heard her groan which only renewed his laughter, "Just, just make sure you don't get CARVED up m'Lady, wouldn't want you to go home feeling HOLLOW!"

Ladybug facepalmed but Chat kept going, "And even, even if you get turned into a pumpkin, you'll still be GOURD-eous!"

He felt his entire body shaking, "If I get turned into a pumpkin too, will you at least call me your purrmpkin?"

He waved his hand at her, "No, no wait! You can call me a pun-king!"

"Oh, I have a name for you all right." Ladybug muttered seriously, but he just laughed more, "Okay, okay I'm done I swear." He told her, trying to catch his breath as he got back to his feet, not realizing before now that he had ended up on his side on the ground.

Ladybug's foot was tapping annoyed, "You sure about that, pun-king?"

He snickered, not able to get the smile off his face, "Paw-sitive M'Lady, this will be a piece of pumpkin-pie."

She twirled her yo-yo and took off with another groan, making him laugh as he heard her say it angrily, "I hate Halloween."

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**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed that little piece of Chat's happiness from the slew of puns he had been waiting to unleash.**

**Au Revoir for now!**


	23. Ghostly Encounters

**Hey everyone! Here's a little tale to tide you over. And thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! Melty Camembert Hearts!**

**I don't own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy**

**Day 30- Ghostly Encounters**

* * *

Adrien had a soft smile on his face, watching Marinette in her element across the commons, helping people. Her confidence as she gave direction with ease, coming up with quick fixes to every problem that was presented her. It sent his heart into a flurry of happy flutters.

They were decorating the school for the Halloween Party tonight, and he couldn't be more excited. Not only had his father given him permission to go thanks to Marinette and her brilliant save at this past weekend's photoshoot, but Nino had let something slip at lunch yesterday after two years of keeping it from him.

Marinette had a crush on him.

He felt his insides melt just thinking about it.

Granted, he had panicked at first, he didn't want to hurt her because of his feelings for Ladybug. Until the thoughts he had been having from the photoshoot came back in full, sending a completely different wave of panic to take over at that point. He had a very daring suspicion about something he wasn't supposed to know, and he couldn't shake the feeling he was right.

There had been too many emotions raging in turmoil inside of him to even begin to try and keep himself together.

He sighed heavily in guilt. He felt awful for how he acted yesterday afternoon.

He had barely been able to make eye contact with her, and blushed like crazy whenever he heard her voice.

He, Nino, and Alya were supposed to all have gone to help her bake and decorate cookies for tonight, but he knew he wouldn't have been able to last the afternoon that close to her without something going wrong. Or spilling his guts on the off-chance that he was right like he so desperately wished he was.

So, what had he done? Like a coward, he left at the end of the day with a barely intelligible, "SomethingcameupIgottagoIamsorryseeyoutomorrowbye." Before bolting like a maniac out of the room.

He spent the rest of his night either pacing or lying face down on his bed trying to wrap his head around the fact that Marinette had a crush on him. The same Marinette, he had begun to realize at the photoshoot, who reminded him far too much of the only other dark haired, pigtailed girl in his life.

He wasn't sure what triggered it exactly, but watching her that day, watching that confidence come to the surface around him when she was usually so flustered by him, something clicked.

Okay and maybe part of that had to do with his photographer finally having enough of his 'longing stares' that were NOT directed at the camera but at the pigtailed bluenette standing off to the side. The photographer had grabbed Marinette and planted her right next to him, muttering about 'young love' and 'distracting girlfriend's' before continuing the shoot.

Not only had moving her worked, but according to the photographer, they were some of the best shots he'd gotten out of him in a long time. He wasn't surprised. The smiles and looks of longing and hope that had been captured had been genuine in her presence. He'd never been able to be anything but himself with her – if his suspicion was right.

"Does she know?"

He jumped slightly, seeing a girl with soft brown hair and in a long-sleeve baby pink sweater sitting next to him, staring out into the commons towards Marinette with a smile on her face.

"Wh-what do you mean?" He asked her, trying to not overreact at the fact that he hadn't even noticed her sit down next to him. His hearing was usually much more sensitive than that.

"The girl with pigtails, does she know how you feel about her?" The girl asked.

"Uh, she's, we're just," he stammered, hesitating to let the accursed word out.

The girl laughed, "You should tell her. I'm sure it would make her happy, and you would be happy too. That has to count for something."

He told her gently, watching Marinette with a small smile, "It's not that easy."

She stood up, putting her hands behind her back before turning on her toes and smiling at him. A beautiful gold butterfly was pinned just over her heart, "It can be. The longer you hold onto those feelings, the stronger they will get. Take it from someone who knows," her expression turned slightly serious despite her smile, "You don't want to regret NOT telling her, before the chance is taken from you."

He saw the warmth in her light blue eyes fade, before they brightened and she waved him off, "Or else you'll end up like me, wishing you hadn't been so scared, and you definitely don't want that to happen."

"Hey Adrien! Can you hold this for us?" Rose called out to him.

"Yeah I'm coming!" He said quickly as he stood, turning to look at the girl again, "Thanks, you really," he blinked twice, scanning the commons quickly.

But the girl was gone.

…

Marinette sighed a breath of relief, glad that Kim and Ivan were no longer struggling to hang the webbing anymore. She took a quick glance around the commons, a smile on her face watching everyone work together in excitement for the dance.

A ray of sunshine caught her eyes, and her smile softened.

Adrien was standing on the top of the stairs, holding the end of the very long trail of pumpkin decorations Rose and Juleka had put together, smiling without a care in the world.

She wished he could always have that look on his face.

"You should tell him."

She squealed, hugging the clipboard in her hands to her chest at the sudden voice to her right.

She saw a girl wearing a light pink long sleeve sweater and put her hand over her heart, "Oh my god, you scared me."

The girl chuckled, "I'm not that scary."

Marinette noticed the beautiful gold butterfly pin over the girls' heart and told her, "That's a beautiful pin."

The girl smiled, her light blue eyes shining, "My everything gave it to me for my birthday."

Marinette smiled, introducing herself, "I'm Marinette. Are you new here?"

The waves in the girls' soft brown hair bounced slightly as she shook her head, "Oh no, I've been here for a while." The girl smiled at her brightly, "You should tell him," she motioned to Adrien, "how you feel I mean."

Marinette instantly blushed, saying it somewhat defeated, "It's, not that easy."

The girl laughed to herself, but Marinette wasn't sure of why exactly. What had she said?

"You two are just perfect for each other." The girl stated in an obvious tone.

"Fate doesn't seem to think so." Marinette whispered.

She couldn't believe how blind she had been.

It was all because of that stupid photoshoot. She had been on cloud nine when Adrien had invited her to be on site. They had become better friends in the past two years, not that her crush had ebbed in the slightest. In fact, it turned into something more, something deeper. She knew how important friendship was to him though, and had stopped trying so hard. It seemed like after that, everything just, fell into place. It was one of the best feelings in the worlds, knowing that Adrien Agreste considered her to be his best friend.

But then he had to go and pull a stunt like at the photoshoot. He had practically gushed about her designs and how skilled she was to everyone in sight. The things he had been saying, it sent her heart into a stream of pleasant flutters, and stirred her emotions.

Of course, the universe wouldn't allow her that kind of kindness. Ladybug or not. Adrien gushing about her was met in full with a resulting disaster. One backward step by one of the assistants was all it had taken. The poor guys foot had caught one of the main cords for the lights, and pulled the wrong way. It was like watching a cliché in a movie where all of the resounding lights knocked into each other one by one like dominos, knocking down and popping every last light on the makeshift set as they fell.

Seeing the horror on everyone's faces, the panic on Adrien's for what was surely going to become a lengthy lecture from his father to somehow place the blame on him – her Ladybug came out in full.

She took instant charge of the situation, instantly seeing a way to accentuate the natural light they had in a way even she saw as being completely convoluted.

The shoot continued, everyone thanking her at the end for what could have ended up being a potential team firing.

But she would do anything for Adrien.

Anything.

"Fate is a cruel mistress. Don't believe anything she has to say." The girl cut into her thoughts with a wry smile.

Marinette tried to smile and the girl caught her eyes, "Really, you shouldn't wait too long to tell him how you feel. The last thing you want to do is regret NOT saying something, before that chance is taken from you."

She felt her heart fall at the girl's words, seeing the way the light dimmed in her eyes before she smiled a little too brightly, "Or else you'll end up like me, wishing you hadn't been so scared, and you definitely don't want that to happen."

"Marinette, how does it look? Better now?" Kim asked from above her. She looked up and smiled at their work, "It looks great guys!"

"I may just have to take your advice." She turned back to the girl, "I don't think I got your name."

She blinked once, turning to look around the commons quickly, something unsettled in her stomach as she realized it.

The girl was nowhere in sight.

...

She caught him doing it again, looking around the commons discreetly. Was he looking for someone?

She walked over to where he was standing by the DJ booth, the music of the dance light and lively.

"Adrien, is everything okay?" She asked worried.

His eyes snapped to hers, taking a deep breath before smiling, "Marinette, you surprised me. Yeah, everything is fine."

She could see something in his eyes, and knew he was lying.

"Are you sure?" She pressed, seeing his resolve start to falter before he collected himself.

"Positive." He tried to assure her. He had a creeping blush on his cheeks as he held his hand out to her, "Want to dance?"

She could practically feel her insides melt as she nodded. She put her hand in his but before they could move, someone screamed.

They both instantly went on high alert, the music stopping quickly only to be replaced with rounds of laughter.

They let out a simultaneous sigh of relief, looking at each other and laughing softly. "For a second there," Adrien started, but she nodded, "Yeah, I almost expected it to be an akuma."

Adrien's hand stayed in hers, squeezing softly as the music picked up again.

"Adrien!" "Marinette!"

They immediately let go of each other's hands as Alya and Kim stalked over to them.

The two teens knew instantly.

This wasn't going to be good.

Kim looked straight at Adrien, while Alya looked straight at Marinette, asking the same question, "Do you believe in ghosts?"

Adrien and Mariette answered in the same deadpan voice, "Absolutely not."

Alya smiled in triumph, pointing at Kim, "HA!"

Kim stared at Adrien harder, "Dude, you are supposed to be on my side! We are literally plagued by akuma's with magic powers and have actual superheroes running around!"

"Magic has nothing to do with ghosts." Adrien said heavily before looking at Alya, "What happened that started this?"

Alya said it angrily, "Kim thought it would be funny to rig the locker room, and scared the wits out of Rose and Mylene by claiming it was the ghost of a girl who supposedly died here sixty years ago."

Kim said it in his defense, "But that part is true! She pushed a classmate out of the way of a speeding car and died just outside!"

Adrien glanced over and smiled, seeing Marinette on her phone steadily typing away. When her eyes widened, she looked up at Alya, "He's telling the truth."

"HA!" Kim said, pointing at Alya.

Alya just huffed, "That doesn't mean her ghost is roaming around our school. There is no scientific proof that ghosts exist. Remnant energy, sure I'll bite, but ghosts, don't make me laugh."

Kim crossed his arms, a gleam in his eyes as he told them, "You are just afraid."

Alya pointedly looked away from Kim back to them, "Tell this idiot that he is being an idiot."

Adrien tried to smile, "Kim,"

"Oh come on Agreste! Man up." Kim said sounding betrayed.

Adrien looked at Marinette, hoping she would diffuse the situation in that natural way she usually does, but found her still staring at her phone.

"Marinette?" He asked worried by how pale she suddenly looked.

"I," she barely looked up at him, "I need some air."

She rushed away from them and headed straight for the main doors.

Adrien moved without thinking, following after her, but a familiar voice stopped him with his hand on the door handle.

"Give her a minute."

He looked over and saw the girl from earlier, standing there smiling at him.

"I need to make sure she is okay." He told her, worried by the smile still on her face, "Did you tell her yet?"

He hesitated, "No."

She frowned, glancing towards the door, "Don't make my mistake Adrien."

Now it was his turn to frown, "Your mistake?"

The light from the sudden burst of strobe lights made him blink to clear his vision.

And just like before, she was gone.

He couldn't worry about her, admittedly somewhat eerie words, right now. He had to make sure that Marinette was okay.

He walked outside and saw her on the sidewalk, pacing back and forth with her head in her hands. "Marinette?" He called out to her.

She stopped and looked up at him. He asked as he hit the bottom step, "Are you okay?"

Bright car lights flashed over her, tires squealing as they tried to stop. Her head was already turning towards the car speeding towards her. His feet were already moving on instinct. The car was coming straight at her. It wouldn't stop in time.

"MARINETTE!" Adrien screamed in horror. Everything in him was screaming, save her, save her, save her!

He threw his body towards hers. He had every intention of throwing her out of way, but her small hands were firm against his arms, almost like a reflex. She was pulling him with her and he ended up rolling slightly as they fell, taking the brunt of the fall. The car was going to hit them.

"I love you." He whispered. His eyes squeezed shut as he tried to shield her, waiting for an impact that never came.

He opened his eyes, immediately catching her shocked ones. He still had her tightly in his arms, and didn't realize she was clinging to him just as tightly.

"Wh-what did you just say?" She whispered with tears in her eyes.

His face burned red and he moved instantly to stand, helping her up as he looked around confused. He was positive that a car had just been speeding towards them. But the street was completely empty.

"Adrien,"

He stiffened and could barely make eye contact with her. It was so much easier to let his emotions out while he was Chat Noir.

He gathered up ever last drop of courage he had left, but as he turned to her, she threw her arms around his middle, hugging him tightly.

He whispered it into her hair, "I love you. I have for a long time."

She buried her face into his shoulder, "I love you too Adrien, so much."

He pulled back just so he could stare into her eyes as they smiled at each other.

"You two are so sweet."

They turned and saw the girl in the pink sweater, sitting on the school steps watching them with a smile.

"You." They said together.

The girl smiled, "Thank you, for not making my mistake. If I had just told him how I felt instead of being of afraid, he never would have come outside, and this never would have happened." She stood, still smiling at them, "So thank you, for helping me."

Marinette asked shakily, "H-How are you here?"

The girl smiled, "No more secrets okay you two?" She walked down the last few steps, and disappeared right in front of them.

They both stood motionless in shock, staring at the spot where she had simply, vanished.

Adrien asked still staring at the spot, "Was that a gh-,"

"I'm Ladybug." Marinette said calmly, her eyes focused on the stairs too.

Adrien nodded, "I'm Chat Noir."

Marinette nodded, "Want to go out with me Kitty?"

"I thought you'd never ask bugaboo." He said calmly, tearing his eyes away to face her, "Can we just,"

"Pretend like this never happened?" Marinette asked, finally looking at him.

He nodded, taking her hand as she instantly agreed.

They walked back inside, still trying to come to grip with the reality.

One thing was sure though.

They hoped that was the last time they ever had a ghostly encounter.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment or review if you want!**

**Au Revoir for now!**


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